Joni has asked the annual autumn question: “What are the red-berried bushes in yards and wet places?”

These are leaf-losing hollies native to the northeastern U.S. and southern Canada, from Ontario to Newfoundland.

Shrubs have suddenly appeared. The clue to this magic is their leaves have been hiding the ripening fruits. Now that the foliage has dropped, the abundant ripe berries are in the spotlight.

Joni said she thought they were partridge-berries. Sure enough, the fruits are relished by partridges (Maine's word for ruffed grouse). The holly is known by many names, which is why the botanical Ilex verticillata should end all confusion. (By the way, pronounce that “eye-lex ver-tiss-ill-ay-ta.”)

As long as you know that, call Maine’s winterberries black alder, brook alder, Canada holly, coralberry, false alder, black haw (the older stems are darkest brown), possumhaw, swamp holly or Michigan holly.

The bushes thrive in full or part sunshine. They do well in acidic, marshy water, where they may eventually form thickets, each growing eight to 15 feet tall and as broad. They also grow in sandy soil or on grassland. The leaves are a glossy green, pointed at the tips.

In summer, they are simply part of the universal, anonymous foliage. That’s when tiny white flowers form, too modest to be noticed unless you are a bee or other pollenizing insect. Some people may sense a mild honey scent at that time.

The developing berries hide behind the leaves, showing up when the greenery is shed in the fall and making almost a surprise appearance.

The plants don’t come easily from cuttings or seeds, but may be transplanted quite readily.

“But I think there aren’t as many berries this year,” Joni said. “Why?”

Landscape architect Deb pointed out that there had been warm springtime days and then sudden frost, which could have discouraged the insects from foraging and frozen some of the flowers.

“But the berries fall off quickly,” Joni said.

Sometimes they do, and sometimes the birds and small animals pluck the fruits for a snack. On the whole, many songbirds and waterfowl leave the enticing winterberries for later in the season.

Some scientists think the fruits don’t contain much fat, which would be an energy food for the creatures seeking fat-laden berries first and leaving the rest for late winter or early spring.

When berries drop, that’s a natural process and a way to provide seeds for future generations of wild winterberries. After all, was human need for beauty and color more of priority than continuing to propagate the plants?

Berried branches may be brought indoors as part of festive decorations. Or twigs of winterberry among evergreen tips make a nice winter display in window boxes.

Naturally, researchers and hybridizers have got busy and produced cultivators. One can buy red sprite, a dwarf bush suitable in any mostly sunny yard, or winter red, which grows to nine feet. Or look also for hybrids bearing yellow or gold fruits.

Hollies are dioecious, that is, there are male and female plants and you’ll need both sexes to produce berries. Names such as southern gentleman and Apollo usually give a clue.

How many males are needed for a winterberry plantation? Opinions vary, from one male to one female, to as many as one to 15. Add a male somewhere in the yard or even in the same hole as a just-planted female. Ask at the nursery about flowering times for each sex, because they should bloom together.

Right now, if you don’t have any winterberry bushes or trees, just enjoy what you see, since you know what they are.