Winterberry
You holler hallelujah
Winterberry Winter, Winterberry I'm in love with you When the leaves have fallen You carry me through You shimmer in the sunshine You glow in snow and rain Winter, Winterberry In the fog you are a flame In the fog you are a flame Winter, Winterberry You thrive in the cold Bluebirds seek your red gems And swallow them whole You holler hallelujah You scream seize the day Winter, Winterberry You're a beacon worthy of praise You're a beacon worthy of praise Praise, praise, praise, praise, Praise, praise, praise, praise, praise Winter, Winterberry I’m in love with you When the leaves have fallen You carry me through You shimmer in the sunshine You glow in snow and rain Winter, Winterberry In the fog you are a flame You're a beacon worthy of praise Praise, praise, praise, praise, Praise, praise, praise, praise, praise Praise
A blue, blue, bird and a red, red berry - such a beautiful composition of color. It’s no accident that those berries glow and persist in the cold. Winterberry has evolved this survival strategy to spread its seeds around by tempting birds with red berries when other food is scarce; much less competition than in peak season.
Winterberry needs a few hard frosts to sweeten, so the berries stay on the twig longer because the birds aren’t interested yet. Also, the berries are not very nutritious because of a lack of fats and oils, so they are eaten as a last resort, but they are crucial in helping the birds survive.
Many songbirds who overwinter here in Maine will eat Winterberries, so if you want to feed and attract birds to your yard, it is a perfect native shrub to plant on your property, especially if you have some acidic wet soil; Winterberry likes its feet wet.
Please be advised, Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) is poisonous to humans and is not the same plant as Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) which is a low growing plant and is edible in small quantities.
November and into the winter months is the season of contrasts. For me, spring and summer are almost overwhelming with so many bright colors begging for attention. But in November when I walk in the woods or down a dirt road, it’s as though I am hunting…..for color. For this is when I am hungry for a bit of red from Winterberries or the crest of a Pileated Woodpecker, the yellow spectrum of Beech Tree leaves, the orange of Sunburst Lichens, or that deep green of Haircap Moss that reminds me of why green is my favorite color.
Speaking of unique, gorgeous beings who bring us gifts of color when least expected, this post about Witch Hazel by Bryan Pfeiffer is well worth the read. Bryan is a brilliant naturalist, and his essays are always informative, fun, and creative.
Thank you for taking the time to read and listen. Please feel free to share.
Thank you Diana. So glad you are enjoying the songs and all. Yes, seeing nature with a new lens, through songs, is the goal; thank you for seeing that. :)
I love winterberry, too, so the song especially resonated. Just clipped one small branch to cherish in the vase on our kitchen counter.