Shamrock Inkberry Holly Care. I. glabra (inkberry holly) is native to North America which makes it appealing to people who are trying to work more with native species. Like its sister plant Gem Box® inkberry holly, it’s a native evergreen with a neat, dense habit that looks like boxwood but is more durable and disease resistant. See other stories, videos, blogs, tips and more at everybodygardens.com. 270 locations nationwide! … Habit: Densa inkberry holly has an ovate, compact habit usually reaching 4 to 6 feet in height with a similar spread. Available in better garden centers in spring 2019. Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs offers a variety of inkberry hollies that are globular and compact, just like a boxwood. Inkberry has small leaves and a rounded habit that makes it look a bit like boxwood. These two popular shrubs are indeed similar, but they have subtle differences in appearance as well as pollination habit. Inkberry holly is deer resistant and evergreen, just like boxwood, but is not susceptible to fungal blight. Evergreen and deer resistant, Eastern arborvitae is another sturdy northeastern native. Requires a male inkberry for berry set. Season: These slow-growing shrubs have year-round interest with their charming, evergreen foliage. Enter your email below to be added to our mailing list. Boxwoods are a great way to complete a home garden. It is great for yards with deer and rabbit problems, and will tolerate wet soil. Also inkberrys prefer a wetter site and more acidic soil than boxwood. This shrub is … japonica 'Gregem' PP21159, is the ideal shrub for a small space. She was at the Mid Atlantic Nursery Trade Show in Baltimore. As versatile and good-looking as boxwood with no disease issues! It can be pruned or shaped as you desire, or left to attain its neat natural shape. $12.99. Boxwood blight is a disease that’s a fungal disease which turns the leaves of the plant brown and there is no cure. USDA Zone 5 - 9 (-20°F/-28.9°C) Exposure Full sun, Part sun. Snowberry shrubs offer lots of interest year round. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter. At first glance, it’s tough to tell the two evergreens apart—both have tiny, dark green leaves and a rounded shape. I am changing my foundation planting and am looking for something to go next to my front steps. ‘Gembox’ is an inkberry holly from Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs. And yews can be used in much the same way as boxwood. It’s also more disease-resistant and cold-hardy than most holly species and suffers less winter burn than boxwood. We know that boxwood is facing some challenges due to the spread of boxwood blight, so we wanted to offer another option for a small, shear-able evergreen. At first glance, it’s tough to tell the two evergreens apart—both have tiny, dark green leaves and a rounded shape. Inkberry holly makes a great substitute for boxwoods - YouTube This North American native is a nice alternative to boxwood. Boxwoods usually grow no larger than 8 feet tall and wide, and some are much smaller, depending on the species. It can be pruned or shaped as you desire, or left to attain its neat natural shape. Strongbox holly is a new and very nice replacement plant for both dwarf boxwood and Soft Touch holly. Inkberry Inkberry or inkberry holly is an Eastern North American native evergreen that is hardy in zones 5-9. Gardeners are turning to different plants that resemble boxwoods, but don’t get the disease. It has been loved in gardens and landscapes around the world for thousands of years. This means it’s perfect for New Jersey weather. The dense ball … The site is an E exposure and gets full am and early afternoon sun in Richmond, VA. Shipping is closed mid-November through March. amazon.com. There are also coniferous options if you don’t have your heart set on boxwood style of leaves. Though it grows native across much of eastern North America, Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs selected Gem Box® for its dense, neat, rounded shape and ability to stay lush and full all the way to the ground. This cool new dwarf, broadleaf evergreen looks more like a boxwood than an inkberry. These hollies have small leaves and take well to pruning, but unlike boxwood they can’t be pushed into part shade situations. This offering is for one (1) plant of this variety growing in a 2.5" X 4" liner container. In late spring to early summer, it produces abundant small greenish-white flowers that are followed by a profusion of dark blue-black berries in fall. Female variety will bear fruit if a male inkberry is in the vicinity. Inkberry is easy to grow in most landscapes, provided there is full sun or part shade. There are separate male and female plants, so if you want them to grow berries, make sure to get a pollinator! Without the extra pruning, however, it makes a beautiful semiformal or naturalistic border planting. Inkberry Holly - Single Plants Details. In addition, the plants grow into a hedge faster than boxwood. This is needed for Inkberries to produce berries. Hetz's Japanese holly is commonly confused with boxwood. Gem Box®, Inkberry Holly — Buy now from Proven Winners Ilex glabra. 2. Season: These slow-growing shrubs have year-round interest with their charming, evergreen foliage. I. glabra (inkberry holly) is native to North America which makes it appealing to people who are trying to work more with native species. It’s being used as a substitute for boxwoods. Boxwood Lookalikes. While boxwood demands well-drained soil, for example, inkberry is perfectly content growing in wet clay. May 30, 2020 - Strongbox® inkberry holly (Ilex glabra) is yet another innovative boxwood alternative from Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs. We know that boxwood is facing some challenges due to the spread of boxwood blight, so we wanted to offer another option for a small, shear-able evergreen. The Strongbox® Inkberry Holly is the perfect replacement for boxwood, especially if you find that plant hard to grow in your part of the country. It also resembles boxwood growth habits and shaping ability. Color: Green. The Shamrock Inkberry Holly will require a male inkberry to produce berries. With little effort, this dwarf inkberry holly makes a really nice low-growing hedge along sidewalks and driveways. What looks like a boxwood but is actually a holly? Naturally mounded shape and evergreen. These other options offer a green flare, grow more quickly, and are more disease resistant. Inkberry holly is a slow-growing broadleaf evergreen shrub with a rounded-to-upright growth habit. Ilex crenata is the species you want – look for varieties like ‘Soft Touch’ or ‘Convexa’, which are especially small leaved and easily kept to a foot tall and wide. Depending on the species, juniper grows anywhere from 6 to 25 feet tall. Inkberry vs boxwood. Since it’s evergreen, this shrub will always stand out in the winter months. While boxwood demands well-drained soil, for example, inkberry is perfectly content growing in wet clay. Ilex glabra Nordic has a compact and naturally rounded habit that needs little pruning to maintain a formal look. Native to the eastern United States, the inkberry shrub (Ilex glabra) might just be the answer to a problem area in your yard. Inkberry hollies are a great replacement for the typical boxwood. One of the best alternatives to boxwood is inkberry (Ilex glabra), an evergreen holly. As with any holly, full sun and well drained soil is a good idea. Baby Gem™ Boxwood, Buxus microphylla var. There are many options for boxwood replacements. Plant in full sun to part sun. They are low care and drought resistant too. Shipping. Nordic is a male variety that flowers but does not produce fruit but is needed for other Ilex glabra to produce the jet black berries. ‘Gembox and ‘Strongbox’ are both hardy choices that will grow reliably in our climate. Gem Box® Ilex glabra delivers, and then some. Posted on: January 11, 2018 | Written By: Doug Oster | Unlike Japanese holly, inkberry is native to the U.S. and makes a smart choice for a casual hedge or accent plant. Reach him at 412-965-3278 or doster@535media.com. It is a female cultivar. Pick the proper locations for your boxwood and holly shrubs. However, they are susceptible to disease. Inkberry (Aquifoliaceae - Holly Family) FEATURES. Branching is compact right to the ground for a full appearance. Strongbox® is more squat and “tuna can”-shaped than Gem Box, which is more of a globe. This native evergreen naturally grows as a broadly rounded mound, and keeps its leaves all the way to the ground for the lush, dense look you love. Gem Box® Ilex glabra delivers, and then some. Requires a male inkberry for berry set. The species form of inkberry is favored by native plant enthusiasts, but most landscape planting features one of the cultivars. Hollies have tiny white flowers and need a separate male and female plant for berries to occur on the female plant… If you place an order during those months, it will ship in spring. 14 years ago . Inkberry takes pruning well, so it is often used as a formal hedge plant. Rising in popularity due to its manageable size and soft, flexible foliage, our Soft Touch Holly boasts classic benefits with a fresh twist. A dense, ball-shaped plant, Gem Box ilex has small, dainty, dark green leaves with attractive red tips during the spring flush. The only Ilex species to sucker. This hedge grows tall and requires minimal pruning. Gem Box Inkberry Holly (Ilex glabra 'Gem Box') Here's a holly that resembles a boxwood! It's also much faster growing than boxwood, and offers good deer resistance, too. Compact Japanese Holly is very easy to grow however it may be helpful to know that a very small plant which is planted in the ground will take about 1/8 - 1/4 cup of espoma organic shrub-tone fertilizer. Top reasons to grow Strongbox ® inkberry holly: Native to North America. During the first season, water regularly and deep. It has small, glossy, dark green leaves that are spineless, and produces small black fruit that are enjoyed by various songbird species. Green Magic Inkberry Holly . It maintains good branching right to the ground so it never looks bare-legged like other cultivars may. It is a native alternative to boxwood (Buxus) and is more cold-hardy than Japanese holly (Ilex crenata). This evergreen shrub tolerates and even thrives in continually wet soils where other plants fail. Ie., other hollies like the meserve, etc., tend to have labeled male/female cultivars whereas any they are few and far between for the inkberry. They are great replacements for the taller boxwoods. Natalie Carmolli, marketing and PR specialist for the company, explains the two different varieties of inkberry holly in the video below. Its glossy, delicate leaves can make it a great choice if you are in the market for a bush with dense foliage that stays green year-round. Ilex glabra 'Shamrock' (Inkberry) is an evergreen, stoloniferous shrub of compact, rounded habit with a slender foliage of thick, spineless, dark green leaves. Females do need a male pollinator to produce the pea sized; jet black drupes which mature in early fall and will last through winter, providing a food source for local bird populations. It is easy to grow and offers good winter color. It grows best in moist acid soils, but is adaptable to most average garden soils. Leaf Retention Issues . This plant has similar leaves to a boxwood. What looks like a boxwood but is actually a holly? japanese holly vs boxwood. Form. May 8, 2020 - Buy Compact Inkberry Holly Online. japanese holly vs boxwood. These two popular shrubs are indeed similar, but they have subtle differences in appearance as well as pollination habit. Inkberry holly is a great substitute for boxwood. Boxwood, which has both male and female flowers on the same plant, has chartreuse, star-shaped flowers but does not produce berries. Inkberry ( Ilex glabra ), which grows in USDA zones 5 through 9, can also stand in for boxwood. 6-8’. Although you could easily mistake an inkberry for a boxwood, in many ways it's even better. Soft, Flexible Foliage and Classic Holly Perks Why Soft Touch Hollies? Gem Box® inkberry holly ( Ilex glabra ) is a ground-breaking alternative to boxwood. Gem Box® inkberry holly ( Ilex glabra ) is a ground-breaking alternative to boxwood. Native to the eastern United States, the inkberry shrub (Ilex glabra) might just be the answer to a problem area in your yard. ‘Gembox’ is an inkberry holly from Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs. Boxwood alternatives are also being developed. But in tougher areas it is a struggle to keep them alive and healthy. Inkberry holly is deer resistant and evergreen, just like boxwood, but is not susceptible to fungal blight. Try ‘Green Giant’ for an expansive hedge, or ‘North Pole’ for something a little smaller. Although you could easily mistake an inkberry for a boxwood, in many ways it's even better. tbt3. © 2020 Everybody Gardens | All Rights Reserved. Though it grows native across much of eastern North America, Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs selected Gem Box® for its dense, neat, rounded shape and ability to stay lush and full all the way to the ground. Habit: Densa inkberry holly has an ovate, compact habit usually reaching 4 to 6 feet in height with a similar spread. Leaves are deep green and small, with dense growth more similar to a boxwood than a holly. This can wreak havoc throughout your landscaping so many people are looking for beautiful boxwood alternatives. Unfortunately, we have been hearing a lot about a disease that plagues the beloved hedges. A dense, ball-shaped plant, Gem Box ilex has small, dainty, dark green leaves with attractive red tips during the spring flush. If you prefer a rounded shape, consider choosing the ‘Green Luster’ variety or try ‘Soft Touch’ for a unique texture. It's also much faster growing than boxwood, and offers good deer resistance, too. The taxonomy of Hetz's Japanese holly is Ilex crenata Hetzii. $4.99 (62% off) SHOP NOW. Grows up to 8 feet tall and wide. Reasons to grow berries, make sure to get a pollinator ( native or. Being used as a hedge cool new dwarf, broadleaf evergreen shrub tolerates and even thrives in continually soils... 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