Short on space? These frost-tolerant plants, trees and bushes with Red Berries grow well in pots and Containers through winter!
Wondering what colorful plants are in season this winter? Go with these frost-tolerant plants and bushes that bear juicy red berries, flourishing in pots and containers through winter. These ornamental berries are perfect for adding winter interest to your home!
Frost Tolerant Plants with Red Berries for Containers
1. Common Winterberry
Botanical Name: Ilex verticillata
This frost-tolerant plant is great for containers and can tolerate temperatures below 23 F (-5 C). Common winterberry produces beautiful red berries that grow in August and last through winter, adding brightness to your surroundings.
They flourish in pots filled with slightly acidic, moist soil. Place them on your patio, and attract birds like waxwings, bluebirds, and American robins.
2. American Holly
Botanical Name: Ilex opaca
American holly, another frost-tolerant plant with red berries, thrives in well-draining pots filled with high-quality, all-purpose mix. This plant can tolerate temperatures as low as -10 F (-23 C).
With glossy green leaves and stark red berries that appear from fall through winter, these plants perfectly complement the hues of Christmas and are often used as festive decor.
3. Skimmia
Botanical Name: Skimmia japonica
Also known as Japanese skimmia, this beautiful evergreen shrub grows well in pots and containers and also thrives in shade, making it perfect for your winter balcony! It produces creamy white flowers in spring, and its autumn berries ripen and turn red through winter.
Place it in a location that gets morning sun and dappled shade throughout the day.
4. Firethorn
Botanical Name: Pyracantha
While this berry is often used in jellies when ripe, it causes nausea when eaten raw. Firethorn is an evergreen shrub that grows easily and with little care. In the fall, it produces orange berries that turn red in the cold.
This frost-tolerant shrub spreads notoriously fast and has sharp thorns—so growing it in containers keeps it in check and deters garden intruders.
5. Japanese Barberry
Botanical Name: Berberis thunbergii
While this dense, frost-tolerant shrub has gorgeous fall foliage with glossy red berries, the Japanese barberry is dangerously invasive and can disrupt native ecosystems! However, it’s a landscaping favorite and thrives in pots and containers through winter!
You can grow these shrubs in well-draining, non-soggy soil. They tolerate full shade and can adapt to any corner on your balcony or patio.
Note that most of these berries are ornamental and will spruce up your home beautifully during Christmas, but they aren’t edible to humans. As long as you keep them out of reach from curious toddlers, you are good!
