Your experience in zone 5 is likely to be very different from that of the poster in zone 8.

As noted above, 'Southern Gentleman' is the appropriate suitor for 'Winter Red' (both southern forms of Ilex verticillata that bloom later than the northern forms).

'Apollo' is the selected male for 'Sparkleberry' (which are hybrids of Ilex serrata crossed with Ilex verticillata).

You may be interested to know that Longwood Gardens (near Philadelphia) performed and published a long term comparison trial of many selections of winterberries. They rated 'Sparkleberry' number one, with 'Winter Red' right up there in the top five.

I like both plants. 'Winter Red' certainly has longer persistence through the winter. 'Sparkleberry' drops its leaves earlier in fall, showing off the fruit much sooner than others. 'Winter Red' is still holding green leaves here NOW.

Overall, I'd nod to 'Winter Red', but you ought to perform a bit more research yourself with images and looking for landscape examples in Toronto. I'd imagine that it gets a bit of use there.

Thanks all for the input...I am sure it is around but surprisingly I have not seen any, anywhere in Toronto.

I like my Winter Red too.

Winter Red is considered the top performer among Winterberries. I get golden leaves in the fall which are set against spreading clusters of bright red fruit.

My shrub dropped it's leaves about (2) weeks ago ... and its been the star of the landscape ever since.

The berries usually last until around February, when they finally get soft enough for the birds to eat. Once the birds decide they can eat the berries, they'll be gone in a day.

I will admit that I've lusted after Sparkleberry, ... but I'm afraid that it may grow too large for me.

If you can't find Winterberry at a nearby nursery, you can probably get a nice set (male and female) at Song Sparrow Nursery online. I've gotten some nice selections from them in the past.

One other point ... Winterberry is a slow grower, ... so try to find the largest plants you can.

Aegis1000 said, "Winterberry is a slow grower, ... so try to find the largest plants you can." That hasn't been my experience. I started with liners (rooted cuttings) of Winter Red in October 2009, less than a foot tall. By early June of 2012 after just over 2 growing seasons, they were 3 1/2 feet tall. By October 2013 they were 5 -6 feet and they have stayed that height since. They do sucker in my garden, something I didn't know before planting, and so have spread to 6-8 feet wide, though they don't spread into territory that other shrubs have claimed. Mine are growing in acid fine-sandy loam and mulched well.