How big do inkberry bushes get?

Ilex glabra, commonly called inkberry or gallberry, is a slow-growing, upright-rounded, stoloniferous, broadleaf evergreen shrub in the holly family. It typically matures to 5 to 10 feet tall, and can spread by root suckers to form colonies.

Are inkberry bushes fast growing?

Native American Holly Inkberry holly is a slow-growing broadleaf evergreen shrub with a rounded-to-upright growth habit. It is easy to grow and offers good winter color.

Does inkberry make a good hedge?

When properly pruned, inkberry can make a nice foundation plant or short hedge, but is best used in native screens and rain gardens, where it can be left to grow naturally with little intervention needed from the gardener.

Does inkberry stay green in winter?

Leaves of male inkberries stay green all winter, while those of the female shrubs tend to become brown as winter sets in. Inkberry can stand heavy pruning. Inkberry flowers are creamy white, small, with 4 tiny petals. Male flowers grow in small clusters where leaves join the stems, female flowers are solitary.

Does inkberry holly lose its leaves?

Inkberry holly varieties vary from thick 4 foot (1 m.) versions to the almost tree-like 8 foot (2 m.) tall giants. As the plant grows, the bottom branches tend to lose their leaves, giving the bottom of the plant a bare look.

Is inkberry poisonous to dogs?

Inkberry plants are not poisonous themselves, but the fruit (berries) are toxic to people and animals. In addition, the leaves of the inkberry plant have sharp enough spines to do damage to your dog’s mouth, throat, airway, and intestinal tract.

How do you care for an inkberry Bush?

Taking care of inkberries is relatively simple and well within the talents of novice gardeners. Choose a planting spot with acidic soil and full sunlight. Inkberry plants love moist soil with good drainage. Keep the soil moist at all times for the best results.

Why are my inkberry turning black?

Anthracnose is a problematic fungal disease that attacks inkberry when conditions are overly wet. Leaves infected with this disease will develop tarlike, black spots and newly emerged leaves distort and curl. Cankers appear on twigs and branches and will cause die-back and girdling.

Does inkberry holly have berries?

While the berries aren’t edible for humans, many birds and small animals are fond of them in the winter. Growing inkberry holly in your yard is a simple project, as these plants are almost carefree. Find inkberry plant information to ensure the healthiest plants possible.

Is inkberry poisonous to cats?

Causes of Inkberry Poisoning in Cats The leaves and berries of the inkberry contain potentially toxic substances of cyanogens, methylxanthines, saponins. Although the leaves and berries contain a low toxicity level, the effects that plant has on a feline can be hazardous to her or his health.

Why is my inkberry dropping leaves?

Root Rots. Root rots can also affect the inkberry holly, especially Phytophthora and Thielaviopsis black root rot. They both cause yellowing of the leaves, early leaf drop, slow growth and, eventually, branch dieback, and occur most often with flooding and extreme heat.

Is inkberry safe for dogs?

What is an inkberry plant?

Inkberry Plant Information. Inkberry is a type of holly bush that is found wild in many southern bogs and damp woodlands. Its round, dense shape forms a thick hedge when it’s grown in a row. Inkberry holly varieties vary from thick 4-foot versions to the almost tree-like 8-foot tall giants. As the plant grows, the bottom branches tend…

Where do inkberry trees grow best?

Inkberry is best planted in average, medium to wet soils and in full sun to part shade. It is adaptable to both light and heavy soils but does best in rich, consistently moist, acidic soils.

How do you plant inkberry bushes?

Planting Inkberry. It grows best in full sun, although it tolerates partial shade. In its native setting, it is often found as an understory plant in woodlands and forests. Plant potted plants or balled and burlapped shrubs in early spring. Dig a hole as deep and twice as wide as the root ball.

Is Inkberry a good hedge?

The native form of inkberry is somewhat shaggy and leggy and tends to spread by suckering, so landscape plantings tend to use one of several cultivars that have better form and better behavior. Inkberry shrubs work well massed or grouped for shrub borders and are also used in foundation plantings or for low, informal hedges.