'Berry Poppins' for winter color

I planted this Ilex verticillata 'Berry Poppins' in the spring of 2017 and this is my first crop of berries. This is a smaller scale winterberry but I am more than happy with these results. Eventually it should reach 3-4 feet in height and that will make quite a show if this is any indication.

You need to plant "Mr. Poppins' as a pollinator to get berries. According to Proven Winners website, one male plant will pollinate up to 5 female plants. The plants must be within 50' of one another to assure good pollination. But that  means I can probably add at least one more plant close enough to 'Mr. P.' to get berries. Much easier than having to find room to always plant a pair. 

The first photo was taken in late October and the one directly above two months later. 

Comments

[Peter/Outlaw]

Such bright and cheerful berries look good now but will be really amazing as the shrub grows.

[Loree / danger garden]

One male to two females eh? Interesting goings on in your garden ;)

[Nell]

They look especially poppin' against the frosting of snow.

Berries jolly up winter immensely. I have high hopes for a yellow-berried possumhaw (Ilex decidua), which They Say will be fertilized by American hollies. Conveniently, there's a male holly nearby. Inconveniently, it seems to flower a week after the possumhaw, so it's looking as if I'll have to order a companion to get the desired effect. Grrr.

[Linda Brazill]

I've heard that yellow berries actually show up better than red. But most of the yellow-berried shrubs I see are not hardy here or are too big for any spaces we have.

[Kris P]

I never appreciated berries in my old garden as I do now - they provide color where there'd otherwise be none and of course the birds love them. Our "Christmas Berry" is Heteromeles arbutifolia (aka Toyon), a California native that grows to tree-like heights.

[Beth @ PlantPostings]

Nice! I don't have any Ilex shrubs in my garden, but my MIL has several dramatic hybrids at her condo community. They're really vibrant. I'm glad yours is filling in nicely for you!

[ceci]

This is very tempting....we don't get much snow for the optimal contrast, but even the leaf color contrast is enjoyable. Clearly I need to look at Berry Poppins pretty closely. I wonder if it could be fertilized by my volunteer American holly.....

ceci

[Linda Brazill]

Good question but one I don't know the answer to.