Ilex glabra 'Nigra' (Inkberry)

Ilex glabra 'Nigra' is a popular cultivar of inkberry holly, an evergreen native shrub found across much of the coastal eastern United States. Perfect as a native alternative to boxwoods, 'Nigra' is low-growing, evergreen, and noted for its especially attractive dark green, glossy foliage. Rounded, compact, and growing to a mature size of only 3-4' tall and wide, though occasionally up to 6' tall, 'Nigra' inkberry is an attractive addition to a variety of garden spaces, and produces small white flowers in the late spring that attract a number of pollinator species.

A slow growing evergreen with a suckering habit, ideal for foundations or hedges, but also working for containers, 'Nigra' 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 'Nigra' 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 'Nigra' is an all-female cultivar, and when planted near a male cultivar like Strongbox® or Squeeze Box®, it will produce small, jet black berries that attract birds throughout the fall and winter.