Inkberry Holly (Shamrock & Nigra)

Ilex glabra 'Shamrock' & 'Nigra'

Inkberry is the workhorse native evergreen shrub that deserves far more attention than it gets. 'Shamrock' and 'Nigra' are two compact-to-medium cultivars that hold their shape better than straight-species inkberry, with dense lustrous foliage that stays green through the coldest winters. Small black berries develop by late summer and persist through winter, providing reliable food for songbirds when other sources are gone. Unlike many hollies, inkberry handles both wet spots and average garden soils. a genuinely adaptable plant. It spreads slowly by root suckers to form a colony, which makes it excellent for massing along edges or stabilizing slopes. The female plants berry dependably without needing a male nearby, though a male improves fruit set significantly.