What Evergreens Have Red Berries?

Cotoneasters

• Several species in the Cotoneaster genus produce red berries. Some of these evergreens tend to grow much wider than they do tall, making them appropriate choices for ground cover, while others grow as large shrubs. The bearberry cotoneaster (C. dammeri ) is hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 6 to 9 and grows to 18 inches tall with a 6-foot spread. Bearberry cotoneasters bloom with aromatic white flowers in spring, followed by green berries that turn red in fall. The willowleaf cotoneaster (C. salicifolus) grows to 15 feet tall and has arching branches covered with dark green-gray foliage. It produces showy, long-lasting red berries in fall and is hardy to zone 6.

Hollies

• Several members of the Ilex genus produce red berries. These evergreens grow as trees or shrubs and are characterized by their glossy, spiny foliage. The English holly (I. aquifolium) grows to 50 feet tall and has dark, lustrous leaves. It produces red, yellow and orange berries and is hardy in USDA zones 6 to 8. The Chinese holly (I. cornuta) grows to 15 feet tall as a thick shrub or a small, multistemmed tree. This spiny evergreen blooms with white spring flowers, followed by dull- or bright-red berries. The lusterleaf holly (I. latifolia) is hardy in zones 7 to 9 and grows to 25 feet tall. It produces clusters of deep-red berries that last from fall until spring.

Yews

• Some yew trees and shrubs (Taxus spp.) produce red berries. The English yew (T. baccata) grows slowly to 60 feet tall. This evergreen tree has dark, glossy needles and is hardy in USDA zones 6 to 7. Only female trees produce red berries, which are toxic if ingested. The anglojap yew (T. x media) also grows slowly, but this low-growing cross between an English and Japanese yew grows as a shrub or small tree. Hardy in zones 4 to 7, anglojap yews produce red berries and have dark, glossy foliage. The Japanese yew (T. cuspidata) is also hardy to zone 4. This evergreen grows as a pyramid-shaped shrub or tree, from 10 to 40 feet tall, and produces hard seeds covered with red flesh.

Other Evergreens

• The Alexandrian laurel (Danae racemosa) produces red-orange berries. This 3-foot-tall evergreen has glossy, tapered foliage and arching branches. It grows best in shaded sites and is hardy in USDA zones 7b to 9. The Japanese skimmia (Skimmia japonica) also produces red fruits, but only on female plants. These 4-foot-tall shrubs thrive in shady, moist sites and bloom with fragrant white flowers. They are hardy in zones 7 to 8.