Inkberry
Ilex glabra
Native evergreen that handles poor drainage most shrubs can't. Black berries on female plants feed overwintering birds through late winter.
Typically 1 quart–3 gal · $17–$85 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Sep 248 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Sep 258 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Sep 268 AM – 2 PM
Native, evergreen, tough as nails, and loved by birds. straight-species inkberry is the plant you reach for when nothing else will grow there.
The straight-species inkberry is a native evergreen shrub that earns its place through sheer adaptability. It grows naturally in wetlands and swampy woods across the eastern coastal plain, which means it handles poor drainage that would rot most other shrubs. Give it average garden moisture and it's equally content, truly one of the most site-tolerant shrubs in our inventory. Female plants produce clusters of small black berries that persist from fall through late winter, providing a critical food source for overwintering birds. It spreads gradually by root suckers to form naturalistic thickets, making it ideal for slopes, stream banks, and woodland edges where you want coverage and erosion control alongside bird habitat.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown inkberry propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Average
- Mature size
- 5–8 ft · 5–8 ft wide
- Bloom time
- Late spring
- Bloom color
- White
- USDA zones
- 4–9
- Family
- Aquifoliaceae
- Native range
- Eastern North America (coastal plain to piedmont)
Care notes for inkberry.
Full sun to part shade in moist to wet soils. Tolerates clay and occasional flooding. Can sucker freely to form colonies. remove unwanted suckers to maintain boundaries if needed. Minimal pruning required. No serious pest or disease issues.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside inkberry.
Or skip the guesswork.
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