American beautyberry is a shrub that features lavender berries throughout winter.

While some gardeners enjoy winter as their season of rest and research, others are disappointed by the lack of color and garden interest. From November to March, there is little color to be seen in Western Pennsylvania landscapes aside from brown branches against a backdrop of evergreens.

For those who desire splashes of color amid rays of winter sunshine, here are a few shrubs and trees whose presence assures us that nature's colors are not completely absent in the winter's chill.

Crabapple trees (Malus) are known for their dazzling white, pink, or purple spring flowers. Their fruits ripen from late summer through fall, and many varieties retain their fruits (persistent fruit) through winter. Look for cultivars whose fruits are red, yellow, maroon or orange. Colorful varieties for winter interest include “Purple Prince,” “Royal Raindrops,” “Prairiefire” and “Ruby Dayze.”Winterberry (Ilex verticillate) is a deciduous holly that loses its leaves in early winter, leaving the bright berries to stand out boldly against the snow. As with crabapples, the birds tend to wait until the berries have softened with repeated freezing and thawing before eating them all, which preserves months of color for your enjoyment. Popular varieties range from 4 to 8 feet in height, and some have yellow berries rather than red. As with all hollies, be sure to plant both a male and female plant in order to produce berries.While most people are familiar with common, rounded holly shrubs, many are not aware of other interesting varieties. Blue holly (Ilex × meserveae) “Castle Spire” is an attractive specimen that is pyramidal in shape and only grows about 8 feet in height. What could be more perfect in December than a Christmas tree shaped holly already decorated with bright red berries? “Castle Wall” is the appropriate variety for this choice and is a pollenizer for Castle Spire.

Dogwood (Cornus florida) trees are popular choices that provide spring flowers and fall berries. In addition, red and yellow twig dogwoods' brightly colored stems pop against the white snow. The varieties “Arctic Fire,” “Midwinter Fire” and “Flaviramea” offer stunning color in the winter.Beautyberry (callicarpa) is a 6- to 8-foot shrub with purple blossoms in the summer that attract bees and butterflies. When their leaves drop in the fall, stunning lavender berries remain on the stem throughout winter. Pearl Glam and Early Amethyst are excellent choices for color and interest.

Witch hazel (Hamamelis) is a hardy, low maintenance shrub or small tree with fascinating flowers.Native witch hazels include Hamamelis virginiana, which typically bloom in late autumn to early winter, and Hamamelis vernalis which bloom in late winter or early spring. “Arnold Promise” is a newer cultivar noted for its early blooms, which often appear in February.These winter gems are worth the investment of your time and effort, with a reward of lasting beauty.Winter can have a flare of color, we just have to look for it.If you have more questions about winter interest gardening, call the Master Gardener Garden Hotline at 724-287-4761, ext. 7, or email the Master Gardeners at butlermg@psu.edu.Renea Pomeroy is a Penn State Extension Master Gardener Butler County apprentice.

A patch of bushes with red berries provides a colorful winter background.Submitted photos

Red twig dogwood stands out against a white fence.

Some varieties of witch hazel have blooms that appear as early as February.