Ilex glabra 'Compacta' (Dwarf Inkberry)

Ilex glabra 'Compacta' is an excellent dwarf cultivar of inkberry holly noted for its slow growth rate and small stature. Low growing, evergreen, and covered in small, glossy green leaves, 'Compacta' inkberry is an excellent native alternative to non-native boxwoods, with a great deal more aesthetic and ecological appeal. Dense, ball-shaped, and growing to a mature size of only three to four feet tall and four to six feet wide, 'Compacta' is an excellent choice for low hedges, foundation plants, or anywhere with full sun to part shade that could do with an evergreen. 

'Compacta' prefers medium to wet, well-drained fertile soils with some acidity. Perfect for low hedges and even large container plantings, 'Compacta' holly has all the appeal of boxwood with the added benefit of small white flowers in the late spring that attract beneficial native pollinators. After flowering, 'Compacta' also has the ability to set fruit in the form of beautiful black berries that are highly attractive to birds. As an all-female cultivar, 'Compacta' requires a male inkberry holly like Squeezebox® for successful fertilization.