Ilex glabra , normally called inkberry or gallberry holly , is anevergreen shrubnative to the eastern and south - central U.S. , including the coastal region of Virginia and its southeastern county . It is not aboriginal to the Piedmont Virginia neighborhood . It is a member of the botanic family Aquifoliaceae ( holly ) . Inkberry is often used as a native evergreen plant alternative to boxwood and to other nonnative evergreen plant , such as Chinese , Japanese , and European hollies , and the more summary cultivar of Chinese retem . A1991 articleinArnoldiaby Dirr and Alexander distinguish the appeal ofIlex glabra :
As part of the native plant movement , and with its superior adaptability , Ilex glabra is a raw for increase landscape use . Recent emphasis on wetland mitigation is another positive for the specie .
ADAPTABILITY
Although usually found in moist to fuddled dirt , thishighly adaptableshrub does well in home landscapes . It can thrive in conditions ranging from full sunlight to moderate shade ; from wet to dry out internet site ; and from sandy dirt to clay . It like an acid to neutral dirt with a pH mountain chain of 3.5 - 6.0 ; it has good salt tolerance . When the earth is too alkaline , inkberry is prone to chlorosis , or a yellowing of the foliation . The unbowed species is by and large unfearing in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 - 10 .
CHARACTERISTICS
Inkberry has anupright , rounded home ground developing multiple trunks . stem arise from heavy , tuberous rhizomes which often give rise suckering . Oval , alternate leaves are a shining dark greens on top , with bottom that are duller and light . Leaves have a smooth bound except near the top where there are several teeth . The shrubtends to become more capable and long-legged as it growsto a mature summit of 5 - 10 ’ and a breadth of 5 - 8 ’ . Many view this legginess to be one of the coinage ’ drawbacks , andcultivars have been develop to meliorate comprehensiveness . These cultivars will be discussed in a later section . Inkberry may be propagate from radical and root cuttings , or from sucker .
BERRY yield
flower are dioecious , meaning that item-by-item flowers are either manlike or distaff , and only one sex is found on each bush . Both male and distaff hollies are ask if berries are hope . The flowers are not ego - fertile and are pollinated by bees . If pollenation occur between male and female plant , efflorescence are followed by pea - sized , jet black , berry - similar drupes which mature in other drop . Female shrub are common in nurseries , but it isdifficult to rule male cultivar , or male inkberry straight species .
Kim Eierman ofEcoBeneficialdiscussed the problem of discover male inkberry cultivars in the nursery swap :
Named cultivars , like ‘ Shamrock , ’ ‘ Nordic , ’ ‘ Nigra , ’ ‘ Densa ’ , ‘ Compacta , ’ ‘ Cape Cod , ’ etc . , are one sexual practice – and all of those cultivars are distaff . The only confirmed male cultivar that I and the Holly Society of America are mindful of is ‘ Pretty Boy . ’ I have seen that cultivar offer for cut-rate sale during one season at one greenhouse ( which is no longer sell it ) . ‘ Nordic ’ , often listed as a male person , is really a female .
In her article,“Looking For Mr. Goodbar — The Quest to happen Male Native Plants,”Eierman points out that this is a problem for many aboriginal species , and bring home the bacon a leaning of other dioecious bush and trees .
ECO welfare
Although the berries are not considered ornamentally telling , they are a estimable food rootage for wildlife . Birds that are attracted to the berry let in bobwhite quail , savage turkey , and many songbirds such as bluebirds , brown thrashers , and hermit thrashers . possum , racoons , and coyotes will also eat the Charles Edward Berry when food for thought is scarce . cervid sometime feed on the leaf ; it is not attractive to coney . Inkberry also provides good winter cover for wildlife .
Inkberry is alarval server plant for the Henry ’s elfin butterfly(Callophrys henrici ) which appears from February to May and has one flight . The grownup Henry ’s elfin butterfly feeds on the nectar from inkberry flowers . Inkberry is also larval innkeeper toCelastrina idella , the holly sapphire butterfly . Other grownup butterflies and bees are attracted to the blossoms as well . The specialized native bee , Colletes banksi , scrounge solely on holly flowers .
Gallberry honey is a extremely rate honey farm from bees flow on inkberry flowers . This honey is topically bring out in certain parting of the southeastern U.S. Beekeepers release bee from recent April to former June to concur with gallberry anthesis time .
PRUNING
Mostevergreen pruning , which include inkberry , is done for corrective reasons , so seasonal timing is usually not as authoritative as it is for deciduous mintage . Pruning during quiescency , i.e. , former winter / early spring ( February - March ) is the most common practiceand will leave in a vigorous explosion of spring growth . If you do n’t have male inkberries , or you are not concerned about berry production , this is a good pruning agenda .
If you are concerned in berry production , however , there are other pruning choice to consider . Inkberry bloom on erstwhile Mrs. Henry Wood , imply peak buds for next year ’s blooms form during the current growing time of year . The buds are carry over through winter on last year ’s growth , the old wood . If you cut back manlike shrubs in late wintertime / former spring , you ’ll cut off at least some of the heyday needed for pollination . In this case , you may desire to prune male shrubs right after flower bloom . For distaff shrubs , as flowers end blooming , those that were pollinate countersink fruit ; pruning in midsummer will give some Chuck Berry yield . If you rationalise in late wintertime / early fountain , you ’ll thin out off flower bud . Choose your schedule have it off that rationalise in either period will reduce berry production . It is likely that at some point pruning will be beneficial , and you ’ll need to make a choice .
sustainment pruning is ordinarily involve to come up to legginess in the species . As the plant matures and becomes thin , hit up to one - third of the branches to their point of origin in early spring . mystifying pruningmeans taking a mature shrub down to crown level for a full makeover . If an inkberry needs greening , i.e. , it ’s lank and has lost lower stem and foliage , cut down it down to 1 - 1.5 ’ high in former springwhen it is poised to push out new growth . This will give time for a strong flush of growth to temper off before wintertime .
CULTIVARS
The following is a list of Ilex glabra cultivars , along with abbreviated data on how the original cultivar stock was develop . The information on cultivar origins is from a1991 articleby Michael Dirr and John H. Alexander III published inArnoldia . It is interesting to note how long these cultivars have been in the trade . Although they have n’t “ solve ” the legginess feature of the species , some offer a denser grade , a somewhat improved memory of lower branches and leafage , and more stocky forms substantially suited to belittled spaces . Two white - berry form are native to the Coastal Region of the eastern U.S.:Ilex glabraformaleucocarpa , andIlex glabraf.leucocarpa‘Ivory Queen’ . Although interesting , they do n’t seem to be unremarkably available in the trade wind .
‘ Compacta ’
Selected in 1937 from a mental block of seedlings planted from ejaculate collected in the New Jersey pine barrens . This compact works grows 3 - 4 ’ grandiloquent and 4 - 6 ’ all-encompassing in a miserly oval to rounded substance abuse . As noted by Dirr and Alexander : “ Like the specie , it becomes leggy at the base and lose a portion of the lower leaf , but if pruned in a timely and artistic personal manner , it will remain a handsome industrial plant . ” Thick dark green leaves fade to olive green in winter . Hardy in USDA zones 4 - 9 .
‘ Densa ’
This cultivar was selected from a pot of 500 seedlings in 1938 for its ellipse to round off , consistent outline with upright branch and leathery dark - green leaf . This mid - sized bush originate 4 - 6 ’ marvellous and broad . Its leaf are described as wider and rounder than those of ‘ Oxalis acetosella ’ . Hardy in USDA zone 4 - 9 .
‘ Nigra ’
This turgid cultivar grow 6 - 10 ’ grandiloquent and wide . foliation color is a moody common . Old plants may be renewed by heavy pruning as lower arm turn a loss leafage with metre . Hardy in USDA zones 5 - 9 .
Ilex glabra ‘ Chamzin ’ NORDIC
Selected out of 2,000 inkberry seedlings uprise in a nursery subject , it was noticed for its clear-cut broad pyramidal growth habit and dark green leafage . Its leaves are passably larger than the species . It grow 3 - 4 ’ tall and wide and is less probable to sucker . Hardy in USDA zones 3 - 9 .
‘ Shamrock ’
This cultivar was selected in 1977 from a block of approximately five hundred seedling for its succinct habit and bright , gleam new dark-green foliation that overlays the previous year ’s mature drab unripe foliation . It grow to 3 - 5 ’ tall and wide , with good branches . Its rounded , stocky habit may become tall-growing with historic period . Hardy in USDA zones 4 - 9 .
DWARF CULTIVARS
GEM BOX ® is about 2 - 3 ’ marvelous and wide with a round habit and petite foliage . fresh growth in spring has a ruddy top . Hardy in USDA zone 5 - 9 .
STRONG BOX ® is about 2 - 3 ’ tall and extensive with leaves that are a little bit broader than GEM BOX ® . Hardy in USDA zones 5 - 9 .
PLANT VIRGINIA NATIVES CAMPAIGN
PESTS AND disease
In universal , inkberry is adisease- and pesterer - resistant plant . It is susceptible to greensickness ( yellowing of leaves ) in high pH ( alkaline ) soils . Leaf touch is an episodic job . Spider mites may appear , particularly in dry atmospheric condition . This bush may also be prone toPhytophthora rootage bunkum ; look for resistant alternative specie if this disease is in your area . Branches are prone to breakage under snow or meth incumbrance . It has a high flammability rating .
HOW TO apply IN THE LANDSCAPE
In institution plantings , inkberry is often used as anevergreen fill-in for boxwood , especially in areas whereboxwood blightis prevalent , or for other nonnative evergreen plant shrubs . off sucker from inkberry if spreading is not desired . Plant groundcovers or low-pitched perennial in front of inkberry to add fullness and to hide out sparsely leave lower stems . When used as a hedgerow , inkberry ’s suckering leaning can be used to advantage . you could also trim the hedge to a want summit . Inkberry is a good addition to aboriginal pollinator corridor , pie-eyed areas of the landscape , and naturalized areas . Dwarf varieties , such as GEM BOX ® and STRONG BOX ® , can be used in containers if they are give sufficient water .
SUMMARY
Although naturally found in moist to blind drunk areas , inkberry is know for its adaptability to different level of moisture and sun , and soil type . Although current aboriginal flora enthusiasts may view inkberry as a “ new ” native flora selection , it has been in the craft for a considerable amount of clock time . Inkberry is a safe aboriginal plant alternative to boxwood , especially in areas where boxwood blight is rife , and to other nonnative evergreen species . Cultivars have been developed to plow the tendency of the metal money to thin out and become leggier as it matures . Many of these cultivars will still benefit from maintenance pruning to promote comprehensiveness . For fruiting , male inkberries are required ; regrettably finding them in the trade is a challenge . Inkberry is an attractive , adaptable , eco beneficial native choice that merit strong consideration as a landscape addition .
SOURCES
Feature Photo : Ilex glabra‘Shamrock’,Courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden
“ Ilex glabra – The Inkberry Holly , ” Dirr and Alexander , Arnoldia(1991 )
“ How Do I Find a partner for My Inkberry?”Kim Eierman , EcoBeneficial !
“ calculate for Mr. Goodbar – The Quest to Find Male Native Plants,”Kim Eierman , EcoBeneficial !
“ Native Plant Profile : Ilex glabra,”Maryland Department of Natural Resources
“ Ilex glabra,”Floridata
“ Ilex glabra,”NC State Extension
“ Ilex glabra,”Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder
“ Ilex glabra‘Compacta’,Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder
“ Ilex glabra‘Chamzin ’ NORDIC,”Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder
“ Ilex glabra‘Shamrock’,Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder
“ Ilex glabraf.leucocarpa,”The Dawes Arboretum
“ Ilex glabraf.leucocarpa‘Ivory Queen’,The Dawes Arboretum
“ Native Bees : These bee Plastic - Wrap Their Brood Cells,”Dickinson County Conservation Board , IA
“ Celastrina idella,”Butterflies and Moths of North America
“ Callophrys henrici,”Butterflies and Moths of North America
“ American Holly- More Than Just a Holiday Decoration,”The Garden Shed
“ What do volt-ampere . , ssp . , subsp . , forma , and f. mean?Capturing California Flowers
“ Phytophthora Root Rot of Trees and Shrubs,”Missouri Botanical Garden
“ Boxwood Blight Alert,”The Garden Shed
