Inkberry Holly
Shamrock
Evergreen · Female · Black berries · Zones 4-9
Holly Types
Inkberry Holly
Inkberry (Ilex glabra) is a native evergreen holly with small smooth leaves and black berries — a well-behaved, deer-tolerant boxwood alternative for wet and acidic sites.
The native boxwood substitute
Ilex glabra is an eastern North American native with rounded, spineless leaves and inky black fruit. Improved cultivars such as Gem Box, Strongbox, and Shamrock stay dense and full to the ground, making them popular, deer-resistant replacements for boxwood — with the bonus of tolerating wet, acidic soils that many shrubs hate.
Quick tip: the species tends to get leggy and sucker; choose a modern compact cultivar for a tidy, mounded habit that needs little pruning.
Growing inkberry
Native to bogs and wet woods, inkberry tolerates poor drainage as well as ordinary garden soil, in full sun to part shade and USDA zones 4 to 9. Its cold-hardiness makes it valuable in the North.
Popular inkberry holly
The 5 hollies below are among the most widely grown and dependable in this group. Each profile covers foliage, sex and pollination, berries, size, hardiness, and how to grow it well.