Ilex glabra ‘Shamrock’

‘Shamrock’ Inkberry is a cultivar of Inkberry that is always female. This means, if there is a male holly nearby, this plant should produce berries during its fruiting season. The wild type Inkberry can get up to ten feet, while this cultivar is more compact at up to five feet. Small white flowers bloom in early summer which turn into berries in fall given they are pollinated. Hollies are known to hybridize, so this plant can still fruit if a male holly is nearby of a different species. The jet-black drupes can persist in winter, providing food for songbirds and mammals when food may otherwise be scarce. Often used as a foundational plant, Inkberry can add structure to a garden as a hedgerow or backdrop for smaller plants. As a broadleaf evergreen, color is added to winter gardens while also being a windbreak for cold winter winds. Inkberry Holly makes a great native alternative to Boxwood plantings.