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Inkberry

Ilex glabra

Inkberry is a tidy native evergreen holly with black berries, widely used as a well-behaved boxwood alternative for hedges and foundations. Suckers into colonies; thrives on moist, acidic soil.

Family
Aquifoliaceae
Type
shrub
Lifespan
perennial
Height
5–8 ft
Spacing
5–8 ft apart
Light
sun, part shade
Soil moisture
wet, moist
Soil pH
acidic
Bloom
April, May
Bloom colors
white, green
Wildlife value
pollinators, songbirds, larval host
Caterpillar hosts
~39 butterfly & moth species
Landscape uses
specimen, hedge or screen, foundation, rain garden, erosion control
Native states
AL, CT, DE, FL, GA, LA, MA, MD, MS, NC, NJ, NY, PA, RI, SC, VA