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.
This is supposed to be one of the biggest plants I purchased, I purchased the 3 Winterberry plants and what arrived was extremely underwhelming. Photos will show the 3 berrys next to Mr Smooth which is significantly larger.
11/4/2025 UPDATE - Without hesitation the company immediately refunded the plants in question. Unfortunately they did not have any larger versions at the moment, however, their immediate response is driving me to increase my star rating. I have purchased MANY other plants from here and love all of them, so, this was definitely a fluke.
We’re sorry you’re not satisfied with your plants! On each product page and our plant sizes page, we note that all of our plants are young. The size of our plants varies depending on the time of year and whether they were recently trimmed. The most important thing when purchasing plants, online or in garden centers, is a full and robust root system, which we prioritize. Trimming only encourages stronger root development! We’re sorry you’re having trouble with your plants! Our team of horticulture experts would love to take a closer look! Our fall guarantee covers plants received after September 1 until May 2026, so we have you covered. Please send your order number and pictures of your plants to [email protected] to start the claims process if necessary. We look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee
I planted this 2 summers ago for the female gold winterberry and it's bursting with flowers this spring. Also, I have a variety of pollinator plants in my garden but the honeybees are mainly interested in the Mr. Poppins. Which was interesting to see.
I ordered the larger size this spring and they came quickly and in great shape. Prior year they were sold out so I was very happy to add them to the berry heavy that I had already established.
This is a starter plant that I am adding to my collection. It arrived healthy. I will see how well it grows next year.
so far so good
They arrived looking fabulous, can’t wait to fet them planted!!
Never use these guys. Ever
We appreciate your feedback. We’re sorry you’re having trouble with your plants! Our fall guarantee covers plants received after September 1 until May 2026, so we have you covered. Please send your order number and pictures of your plants to [email protected] to start the claims process. We look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee We'd love to hear more about your experience. We look forward to making this a better experience for you. Happy gardening!
I was very happy with the way my plants were shipped and the condition they arrived in. Mr. Poppins was a very nice sized plant and in growing well in just the few weeks I’ve had it.
Would not hesitate to order from Great Garden Plants again!
This plant was barely established in its pot then it arrived and I should not have put it in the ground till next year. It got hit with a little frost and is really tiny now. I plan on babying it for the next two years and hope for the best. It will not be able to fertilize my other females for a long while, maybe 3 years. Very disappointed in the plant. $64 dollars was no way worth this.
I have 2 acres of landscaping and it is my hobby for the last 47 years. We even have had 4 big weddings in this yard. Sorry to say, I don't think you will get me back as a customer.
We’re sorry you’re not satisfied with your plants! On each product page and our plant sizes page, we note that all of our plants are young. The size of our plants varies depending on the time of year and whether they were recently trimmed. The most important thing when purchasing plants, online or in garden centers, is a full and robust root system, which we prioritize. Trimming only encourages stronger root development! All orders are covered by our 60-day guarantee, so please reach out to [email protected] to start the claims process if necessary.
My Mr Poppins arrived half dead and customer service replaced it asap. Thank you. The second one is as healthy as the Berry Poppins.
Arrived healthy and prospering well.
Arrived looking healthy
The plants arrived on time and are healthy and thriving since they were planted.
I was taken aback by the small size of Mr. Poppins Winterberry and the 3 Berry Poppins plants, 4 in all. They were pruned quite small, the reason for the pruning explained in your literature. Still, they look very vulnerable. Some leaves dropped from one plant. I hope the root system is extensive enough to anchor them well into the soil and provide good protection over the Winter. I have watered them often and will mulch deeply once we start to get colder. For the price, I had expected at least to have more of the plant above the surface. This is NOT a holiday tree so I will take you up on your guarantee in the Spring, if necessary.
Thank you. E. Emling
We’re sorry you’re not satisfied with your plants! On each product page and our plant sizes page, we note that all of our plants are young. The size of our plants varies depending on the time of year and whether they were recently trimmed. The most important thing when purchasing plants, online or in garden centers, is a full and robust root system, which we prioritize. Trimming only encourages stronger root development! All orders are covered by our fall guarantee, so please reach out to [email protected] to start the claims process if necessary.
Here in Vermont winter comes early I had time to plant Mr. Poppins winterberry bush with plenty of time for it to get established . Arrived very healthy . Was absolutely pleased .
The plant is healthy and came with great instructions. So far so good!
I ordered a one gallon Mr. Poppins as I wanted the best chance for it to survive as I only ordered one. I planted as soon as I received it but I have not babied it. It is just as perfect as when it arrived. No transplant shock at all! I've ordered tons of online plants and I always have transplant shock issues....not a one with these Berry Poppins! I'm so excited to see them fruit next year.
The plants arrived in time. They were packed nice and safe. We are looking forward to watching them grow an show off.
I received the plants promptly and in great condition. The plants were very well packaged. They will make a great addition to my garden.
Received a nice sized healthy plant! The male winterberry plant is not doing well. Followed planting instructions. Not sure if the male wi revert will survive. Disappointing.
The plant didn't make it through the winter. It lost its leaves and now is a dried out set of twigs, despite meticulous care. Meanwhile, Berry Poppins is doing spectacularly. Hoping there is a guarantee on Mr Poppins.
Hello! We are so sorry to hear one of your plants didn't make it. Please contact our friendly customer service team and email us pictures of the plants, making sure to put your order number and name in the subject line so that we may provide the best assistance possible. Rest assured, we have a guarantee on all our plants. Our fall guarantee covers plants received after September 1 until May 2024! If you received your plants within that time frame, we would happily apply your warranty once we receive the pictures. We would love to hear from you, happy gardening!
Very tiny plant, lost the two leaves and now looks dead!
Hello! We are sorry that you're unsatisfied with you plants. While we try our best to provide exceptional service, some factors, like shipping and handling, are outside our control, and issues like this can sometimes happen. Please email pictures of the plants to [email protected], making sure to put your order number and name in the subject line so that we may provide the best assistance possible.Rest assured, we have a guarantee on all our plants. Our fall guarantee covers plants received after September 1 until May 2024! If you received your plants within that time frame, we would happily apply your warranty once we receive the pictures. Happy Gardening!
https://www.greatgardenplants.com/pages/our-guarantee
Planted as directed and looking good.
I’m extremely satisfied with my Mr Poppins Holly. I planted it as soon as I got it and carefully followed the instructions and it’s doing very well.
Quality plants arrived perfectly! That packaging was impressive well thought out! And I love your selection of special varieties!
both male and female plants are planted and appear to be surviving. There is some new growth on the female plant and much less than I anticipated. There does not appear to be any new growth on the male plant. They seem to be just surviving as compared to thriving. Some plants take longer to transition to outdoor life. Here's hoping.
Hello! You are correct in that some plants take longer to adjust to their new home. When transplanting young plants from a nursery pot to a garden, the plant allocates more energy to root development instead of shoot development (above ground). It's important for them to develop a robust root system so they can absorb the nutrients and water in the soil around them. Then after their root system is more developed, they'll invest in their shoots and flower development. They generally spend their first year growing roots in their new home, in the second year, they have more energy to put into growth; and in the third year, they grow and flower vigorously. This applies to plants in the garden center and plants you purchase online. We hope this helps. Happy Gardening!