Ilex glabra 'Densa' (Inkberry)

Ilex glabra 'Densa' is a dense, relatively compact cultivar of inkberry holly, an excellent native shrub found across much of the coastal eastern United States. Perfect as a native alternative to boxwoods, 'Densa' is low-growing, evergreen, and has a rounded, compact form with good branching, especially at ground level where many inkberry cultivars tend to get leggy or sparse. Dense, ball-shaped, and growing to a mature size of 3-4' tall and wide, though occasionally larger up to 6' or 7', 'Densa' inkberry has small, glossy, green leaves that start out bright green before maturing to a rich, dark green.

A slow growing evergreen with a suckering habit, ideal for foundations or hedges, but even for containers, 'Densa' grows best in full to part-sun conditions and medium to wet, well drained sandy soils with some acidity. Perfect for a variety of garden locations, Ilex glabra 'Densa' is tolerant of perpetually wet and clay soils, as well as salt exposure, and has all the ornamental appeal of boxwood with the added ecological benefits of a native species. Ilex glabra 'Densa' is an all-female cultivar, and when planted near a male cultivar like Strongbox®, it will produce small, jet black berries that attract birds throughout the fall and winter.