Mine seem to be doing fine (fruits) in the light shade, then full sun from +/- 4PM on. But I am not sure if, for the fruits (a winter decorative feature of this plant + for the birds), the part shade to full sun is a prerequisite or not.
You might know this, but you need at least one male plant and one female one for fruit production.

Thanks for the info roseunhip, i've learned that part shade and light shade are often the same with some plants but that really does vary depending on the plant. I wanted to make sure before I spent lots of money on these. Yes, I did know that I would need male and female plants but I do appreciate your making sure :)

They are listing "apollo" (male) and "winter red" (female) plus the straight species. I'm really thinking of getting one of each to just see how they do. I appreciate your help :)

Mine get some shade also and fruit just fine. But I would really call it mostly sun with alittle shade in the late afternoon. The Nursery were I bought all my plants has them in shade under some very large trees. I have never seen the sun on them but the lady there said that they do get some sun in the morning. The plants there flower and fruit just fine.

Thanks newyorkrita, I have some dappled light shade in the back and I might try them there. I'm really looking forward to seeing them in the winter.. if the animals let the berries alone for that long, they seem to even be eating green berries sometimes these days.. go figure!

Oh thanks so much for checking newyorkrita! That makes me very happy! I just finished clearing out a nice area up the driveway (removed exotics..). Now I just need to figure out where I want to put what :)

Try the combination of Ferns and Winterberries. Looks great!

Ilex verticillata grows in deep, wet shade in our woodland. When the leaves come off the shrubs and trees that block the Ilex from the view during the summer all we see back there is a mass of red from the berries. It's beautiful when the angle of the sun is just right - it shines.

I did my last nursery buying stop at the local East End Long Island Nursery were I bought my Winterberry shrubs and was just amazed at the display of the Winterberry shrubs covered in red berries. This was the grouping I was looking at in my July 31st posting on this thread. But what a difference almost two months make. The Winterberries are so loaded down with fruit that some of the branches are bending over. Of course these are the ones in the sunnier spot, as the ones in total shade still had greenish berries. The berries were large, bright red, and just awesome.

Winterberies look great with all leaves dropped so I can really see the red berries. So far nothing seems to be eating them. But I guess we need some really cold weather to soften them up.

The winterberiey shrubs look so bleak and lonely with bare branches and those lovely berries all gone, long since eaten by the hungry birds.

Lots of Blossoms set on the Winterberries. Hope to get a good fruit set once they open.

Mine are actually getting ready to bloom! They did well in the shade, though nobody was fond of the berries ;(

I am surprised the birds didn't eat the berries. All of my Red Sprites have gotten their berries eaten in the past two years. I do have an 'Afterglow' Winterbery in another part of the yard and those berries were ignored, much to my surprise. Maybe Red Sprite tastes beter!

Melissa, I planted mine late last year, no foliage but lots of berries. The birds all ignored them. I was told that the birds just hadn't found them yet, to give them time. I hope to still be here this fall and winter to watch if anything and what, eats the berries.
Terry

Mockingbirds love Winterberries around here.

Maybe that is my problem, I don't have mockingbirds here in the woods. Cardinals are the big berry eaters here, as well as some of the titmice and chickadees. The winterberries are loaded, and are just barely showing signs of turning red. I hope that someone (other than me) will find them appealing this winter. :)

Does anybody know where I can find a good size Ilex verticillata in Chicago area other than a 1 gallon size from Forestfarm?

My Winterberries are just leafing out now.