What are these on my Winterberry? Flower buds? Fruits?

[Empty Mountain]

This is my native Winterberry IIex verticillata I bought it a couple years ago from the nursery. Beside this one was a plant with fruits but I picked this one (I don't know why) I haen't seen any flowers or fruits on it since I've had it and I'm not sure if it's male or female. I noticed these growing at the base of the leaves, can anyone tell me what they are? Thanks!

 

[The Barber]

If it hasn't already produced flowers then it wouldn't be the berries forming. I expect you'll have little white flowers soon. Both male and females flower, the female will have a green knob in the middle that turns into the berry. Mine produces massive amounts of berries.

 

[Empty Mountain]

If it hasn't already produced flowers then it wouldn't be the berries forming. I expect you'll have little white flowers soon. Both male and females flower, the female will have a green knob in the middle that turns into the berry. Mine produces massive amounts of berries.

Do you have a male plant in your garden too or does your plant get pollenized without one (from male plants in the landscape outside your garden maybe)?

 

[The Barber]

Unfortunately they require a male to produce berries to the best of my knowledge. Although if they are like some species of dioecious trees, they may produce much fewer fruits that will be infertile. The one I have right now I purchased last year right after flowering, and I assume they had males at the nursery also. I would wager there were a couple pounds of berries on it when it fruited. I may plant and field grow some from seed though since I saved all the berries from last year. Wouldn't mind growing a male to use as grafting stock and add a male branch to some female trees. I pruned it back hard this spring and it has grown like mad, so appears to be a fast growing cultivar.

 

[Leprous Garden]

These are flower buds. You may be able to ID the sex if the plant by examining the flowers but they are quite small, you'll need a magnifying kens and good ID book. If it is female, you could get a male to bonsai or plant one in your yard and it will pollinize your gal.