The term 'berry-bearing shrub' can be broken down into two crossword solutions: ELDER (5 letters) and ILEX (4 letters). ELDER is a shrub or small tree of the genus Sambucus, which is native to temperate and subtropical regions of both hemispheres. It produces clusters of small white or cream-colored flowers in the spring and blue-black berries in the summer. ILEX, also known as holly, is a genus of about 400 species of flowering plants in the family Aquifoliaceae. It is native to many parts of the world and produces red berries in the winter. Both ELDER and ILEX are berry-bearing shrubs that are found in temperate and subtropical climates.