Ilex Mr Poppins® Holly

A Proven Winners® ColorChoice® Flowering Shrubs variety, Ilex Mr Poppins® Holly.

Pair this pollinator with your Berry Poppins® for a garden full of vibrant winter berries and backyard birds. Ilex Mr. Poppins® is the male counterpart to the beloved Berry Poppins® winterberry holly, and together they create a brilliant display of red berries throughout autumn and winter. This compact native shrub reaches just 3 to 4 feet high and wide, making it an easy choice for small gardens, hedgerows, or foundation plantings where space is limited but impact is essential.

As a male Ilex verticillata (winterberry holly), Mr. Poppins® doesn't produce berries itself—but it plays a vital role by pollinating nearby female hollies. One Mr. Poppins® can successfully pollinate up to 10 female winterberries within a 50-foot radius. Its tidy, rounded form and glossy foliage make it attractive even without fruit. This Proven Winners® selection also supports native wildlife and pollinators, helping create a biodiverse garden that thrives year-round.

Easy to care for and adaptable, Mr. Poppins® grows best in full sun to partial shade and prefers moist, acidic soil, including wet areas like rain gardens or the edges of ponds and woodlands. It tolerates clay soil and cold temperatures and needs little to no maintenance once established. Prune in late winter if shaping is desired. For a no-fuss, berry-boosting shrub that brings seasonal beauty and ecological value, Mr. Poppins® is the garden's most dependable partner.

Explore evergreen shrubs for year-round beauty, check out our native plant selection, or learn more about compact plants for small spaces.

Does not produce berries.