Strongbox Inkberry Holly

Light Needs

Part Sun to Full Sun

(5+ Hours Direct Sun)

Mature Height

2-3 Feet

Mature Spread

2-3 Feet

Growing Zones

5 to 9

The Strongbox Inkberry Holly is a fantastic native alternative to boxwood shrubs. Ilex glabra 'ILEXFARROWTRACEY' grows about 2 to 3 feet tall and wide, with glossy green foliage forming a dense, rounded shape all the way down to the ground. Small white spring flowers are followed by black berries when a compatible male inkberry, such as Squeeze Box®, grows nearby. It can be tightly clipped like a boxwood and shows better tolerance for moisture and winter stress.

This Proven Winners® ColorChoice® selection is a female inkberry holly native to North America. It grows faster than boxwood and offers good resistance to deer browsing, common pest issues, disease problems, and winter burn. Strongbox® Inkberry Holly is evergreen, salt tolerant, and best in soil that stays moist to wet and acidic. Plant it as edging, a low hedge, a foundation shrub, a mass planting, a container evergreen, or a compact specimen near walkways and entries.

Strongbox® Inkberry Holly Care

Plant Strongbox® Inkberry Holly in full to part sun, with at least 4 hours of direct light for fuller foliage coverage. It grows best in moist, slightly acidic soil and can handle very moist sites better than many evergreen shrubs. Sandy, clay, or well-drained garden soil can work when moisture is steady and pH is not too high.

Water deeply after planting to settle the root ball into the site. Continue to keep the root zone evenly moist while the plant establishes. Mature plants grow most densely with regular moisture and may drop interior foliage during dry periods. Fertilize in spring with a slow-release fertilizer for acid-loving shrubs if growth is light or soil fertility is low. Mulch 2 to 3 inches deep over the shallow roots to conserve moisture, leaving open space around the stems.

Prune Strongbox® Inkberry Holly in mid to late spring after the new growth has emerged and started to firm. Light trimming can refine a hedge, while unpruned plants keep a naturally broad, mounded outline. Plant Squeeze Box® Inkberry Holly within about 50 feet when black berries are desired for fall and winter bird interest.

Strongbox® Inkberry Holly Spacing

Space Strongbox® Inkberry Holly 2 to 3 feet apart for edging, low hedges, and mass plantings. Allow 3 to 4 feet between plants when each mound should remain defined in a foundation bed. For containers, choose a pot at least 16 to 20 inches wide with drainage holes, and water regularly because inkberry roots are shallow.

In acidic foundation plantings, use Strongbox® Inkberry Holly with azaleas and rhododendron for spring flowers above the low evergreen mound. include sweetspire if soil stays moist for summer flowers and fall foliage. In containers, use begonias or coleus around the edge for seasonal color in part sun while the inkberry supplies year-round structure.

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