After evergreens and bark I think berries add significant fall and winter beauty to the landscape. To my thinking, berry-yielding plants fall into two broad groups. A lot of berries are immediate or migratory food for birds. Others often hang on nearly to spring and serve as late season food or fuel the return migration.

Focusing on the winter ornamental value of berries and treating the use by birds as secondary, we can limit the number of plants discussed.

It is difficult at this time of year to ignore the bright red winterberries in many yards. In fact, on my two favorite routes north there are small fields of these bright red berry-yielding bushes. I suspect the fields support cuttings, which will highlight Christmas wreaths and other decorations.

In the woods behind my house wild winterberries are rather common. Some of these fruit very heavily while some are quite sparse. I even found one that has a sparse crop of berries on the yellow side of orange.

For landscape purposes the process of breeding and selection have produced named varieties or cultivars that produce more or larger berries. Despite the claims of improvement, I think one of the first releases, 'Winter Red', is hard to beat. There are other good varieties, including a heavy bearing one with yellow-orange berries.

Not wishing to be negative, another old favorite 'Sparkleberry' seems to drop its berries prematurely in my plantings.

Winterberries are hollies that lose their leaves, so like their evergreen counterparts they need both male and female plants to produce berries. A single male will take care of a yard full of berry-producing females.

In fact, one in the neighbor's yard would probably be enough. There is some thought that you must match the bloom time of the males and females. Thus 'Winter Red' needs 'Southern Gentleman' to pollinate, etc. Sometimes I wonder if it matters.

In theory, the winterberry is too large for the birds to eat immediately so they survive until they start to ferment thus offering food to birds late in the winter.

Chokecherries are another native that fits the landscape well. Fall foliage is normally red with either red or black berries. As the name suggests, the berries aren't real tasty until they have fermented and withered to again become late winter food.

On a recent excursion to southern Maryland, I spotted a hedgerow dominated by a small-fruited crabapple, Malus bacatta. They were full of November birds but since they shined red I suspect that they will last well into the winter. Guess what plant is high on my yard wish list.

Before jumping into crabapples, there are several considerations. Apples are susceptible to a black scab that scars the fruit and causes early drop of the leaves. Look for varieties that are less susceptible.

Apples that yield heavily often bear fruit every other year. That means a heavy crop one year and a sparse or no crop the next. That sounds like a good excuse to go back to southern Maryland next year. Finally if you are thinking about attracting birds, the final size of the fruit on your crabapple is important.

That scratches the surface on ornamental berries for winter interest. As soon as I figure out the berry value of selected viburnums I might favor them just like I do the above.

Upper left River birch, lower left buttonwood, upper right oakleaf hydrangea, lower right shag bark maple.