Mr. Poppins® Winterberry Holly (Ilex)
Shrub
- Space-saving winterberry holly is just a fraction of the size of other types.
- Does not produce berries, but is required for females to produce berries.
- Mr. Poppins pollinates female varieties!
- Tiny white flowers in late spring.
- Plant one Mr. Poppins for up to five females.
- Zones 3-9, sun/part sun, 4' tall x 4' wide at maturity.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
Details
Patent #: USPP 25,834
Common name: Winterberry holly, Male winterberry holly
Zone: 3 - 9
Sun exposure: Full sun (6+hours sun) to part-sun (4-6 hours sun)
Height x width: 3-4' tall and wide
Flower color: White
Foliage color: Green
Season of Interest: Spring
Bloom time: Spring
Features: Winter interest, rabbit resistant, Proven Winners, native, heat tolerant, fall color, deer resistant, cold tolerant, best for beginners
Uses: Hedge, native plant gardens, wildlife gardens
How to Grow
Light: Full sun (6+ hrs/day) to part sun (4-6 hrs/day). Can grow in full shade, but flowering will be diminished, and plants will be less full.
Water: Average
Space: Plant Mr. Poppins within 50' of your female plants.
Fertilizing: Little needed. If desired, fertilize in early spring, once the ground has thawed, with a granular rose fertilizer. A second application may be made in late spring/early summer as well.
Winterizing: Nothing special required.
Maintenance & Pruning: Male plants do not develop berries, so can be pruned immediately after bloom if desired. However, it's best to avoid pruning them altogether except to remove any dead wood and once mature, to remove one or two of the oldest stems each year to encourage new and vigorous growth.
Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:
Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:
Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.
