Ilex glabra ‘Densa’
Overview
Uses: Hedges, foundation plantings, rain gardens, and native plantings.
Benefits: A compact, dense form of native inkberry holly with small, glossy evergreen leaves. A native alternative to boxwood for hedges and foundation plantings, it handles wet soil, part shade, and salt.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5–9
Sun: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Life Cycle: Broadleaf Evergreen Shrub
Growth Habit: Rounded, Upright — dense and full to the ground.
Foliage Color: Glossy Dark Green
Mature Height: 4–6 feet
Mature Width: 4–6 feet
Growth Rate: Slow
Summary
The native evergreen for anyone who wants a boxwood look without the boxwood problems.
Inkberry is a holly native to the eastern United States, but it looks nothing like the spiny Christmas hollies. Its leaves are small, smooth-edged, and glossy dark green, giving it a fine texture that reads much like boxwood in a hedge or foundation planting. Densa is a selection chosen for an especially compact, thick habit that stays leafy down toward the ground.
It grows slowly into a rounded, upright shrub four to six feet tall and wide, which suits it to the front of a house, a low screen along a patio, or a clipped or informal hedge. Because it is evergreen, it holds that structure all year and gives winter beds something solid to look at.
Inkberry also tolerates conditions that defeat many evergreens. In the wild it grows in moist coastal woods and bog edges, so it accepts wet soil, partial shade, and salt spray or road salt better than most foundation shrubs. Its small spring flowers are worked by bees, and native bees in particular make good use of them.
Care
Densa Inkberry Holly Care
Plant in full sun to partial shade. Sun keeps the plant at its densest; in heavier shade it grows a bit more open.
Inkberry prefers moist, acidic soil with some organic matter and handles wet, poorly drained ground well. In alkaline soil the leaves can turn yellow, so it is best in neutral to acidic sites.
Water deeply once or twice a week through the first growing season while roots establish. Established plants tolerate both wet periods and short dry spells. Water well in late fall before the ground freezes, and keep a two-to-three-inch layer of mulch over the root zone.
Feeding needs are light. One application of a slow release fertilizer in early spring is plenty.
Prune or shear in late winter or early spring before new growth begins. Inkberry takes cutting well. If an older plant thins out at the base, cutting a few of the oldest stems back hard in early spring encourages fresh growth from below. In zone 5, some leaves may bronze or drop in a hard winter; new growth fills in by early summer.
Size
What Size is the Densa Inkberry Holly for Sale Online?
Our Densa Inkberry Holly ships in a greenhouse-grade grow pot and is appropriately sized for its container at the time of shipment. As an evergreen, it keeps its leaves through the off-season. If you have specific sizing or planting questions, please contact us.
How Large Does Densa Inkberry Holly Grow?
Expect about 4 to 6 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide at maturity, in a dense, rounded shape. Growth is slow, so it takes several years to reach full size. Space plants about 3 to 4 feet apart for a continuous hedge.
Additional Information
What are some common names for this plant?
It is most often called inkberry or inkberry holly, and in the South it is also known as gallberry.
Is inkberry a good replacement for boxwood?
For many gardens, yes. It has the same small, glossy evergreen leaves and takes shearing, but it is not affected by boxwood blight and it tolerates wetter soil than boxwood does. It is a little less formal in habit unless trimmed regularly. Explore more Evergreen Plants.
Is Densa a native plant?
It is a selection of Ilex glabra, which is native to the eastern and southeastern United States. Selections like this are often called nativars: they keep the character of the native species in a more compact, garden-friendly form. Browse more Native Plants of North America.
Is inkberry deer resistant?
Yes. Deer rarely browse inkberry, which makes it a useful evergreen in yards where yews and arborvitae get eaten. No plant is entirely deer proof when food is scarce, but inkberry is one of the more dependable choices. See more Deer-Resistant Shrubs and Evergreens.
