Ilex glabra ‘Shamrock’
Overview
Uses: Low hedges, foundation plantings, mass plantings, native gardens, and part-shade beds.
Benefits: A compact form of native inkberry holly with glossy, dark green evergreen leaves. Makes a dependable low hedge or foundation shrub, tolerates wet soil and part shade, and is a native alternative to boxwood.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5–9
Sun: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Life Cycle: Broadleaf Evergreen Shrub
Growth Habit: Rounded — compact and dense.
Foliage Color: Glossy Dark Green
Mature Height: 3–4 feet
Mature Width: 3–4 feet
Growth Rate: Slow
Summary
A native evergreen with the tidy, glossy look people usually plant boxwood for.
Inkberry is a holly native to the eastern United States, but it looks nothing like the spiny holiday hollies. Its leaves are small, smooth-edged, and glossy dark green, held densely on upright stems. ‘Shamrock’ is a compact selection that forms a rounded shrub about three to four feet tall and wide, slower and tighter than the wild species.
That size and texture make it a natural fit for low hedges, foundation plantings, and the structured edges of a bed. It keeps its leaves all year, so it gives the garden shape in winter, and it takes shearing well if you want a more formal line.
Inkberry also handles conditions that set boxwood back. It grows naturally in damp, acidic ground and tolerates wet soil and partial shade, and deer tend to pass it by. In early summer, small white flowers appear among the leaves; they are easy to miss, but bees find them.
Care
Shamrock Inkberry Holly Care
Plant in full sun to partial shade. More sun keeps the plant fuller and denser; in heavier shade it grows looser.
Inkberry prefers moist, acidic soil with some organic matter, and it tolerates wet ground better than most evergreens. In alkaline soil the leaves may turn yellow between the veins, so it is best suited to neutral to acidic sites.
Water deeply once or twice a week through the first growing season, and keep the soil evenly moist during dry spells after that. A two-to-three-inch layer of mulch helps hold moisture and keeps the shallow roots cool.
Feed in early spring with a slow release fertilizer made for acid-loving plants.
Shape in early spring before new growth starts, or lightly shear in early summer for a formal hedge. Over time, inkberry can lose some of its lower leaves and open up at the base. Removing a few of the oldest stems at ground level every few years encourages fresh growth from below and keeps the plant full.
Size
What Size is the Shamrock Inkberry Holly for Sale Online?
Our Shamrock Inkberry Holly ships in a greenhouse-grade grow pot and is appropriately sized for its container at the time of shipment. If you have specific sizing or planting questions, please contact us.
How Large Does Shamrock Inkberry Holly Grow?
Expect about 3 to 4 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide at maturity, in a compact, rounded shape. It grows slowly, so it takes several years to reach full size. Space plants about 2 to 3 feet apart for a continuous low hedge.
Additional Information
What are some common names for this plant?
- Inkberry
- Inkberry holly
- Gallberry
Is Shamrock Inkberry Holly a native plant?
It is a selection of Ilex glabra, which is native to the eastern United States, from the coastal plain of New England south through Florida and west along the Gulf Coast. Selections like this one are often called nativars: they keep the adaptability and wildlife value of the native species in a more compact form. Browse more Native Plants of North America.
Is it a good replacement for boxwood?
For many uses, yes. It offers a similar small-leaved, rounded evergreen look for low hedges and foundation beds, is not affected by boxwood blight, and handles wet soil better than boxwood does. Deer also tend to leave it alone. The main difference is soil: inkberry wants acidic ground, while boxwood tolerates more alkaline conditions. See more Deer-Resistant Shrubs and Evergreens.
Why is my inkberry getting bare at the bottom?
Inkberry naturally sheds some lower leaves as it ages, especially in shade. Keeping it in at least partial sun and removing a few of the oldest stems at ground level every few years encourages new growth from the base. Avoid shearing only the top, which shades out the lower branches. For more year-round shrubs, browse our Evergreen Plants.
