![]() A second application may be made in late spring/early summer as well. Space: 2-3' apart, depending on landscape role.įertilizing: If desired, fertilize in early spring, once the ground has thawed, with a granular rose fertilizer. Water: Average to abundant (as long as soil is well-drained). Light: Full sun (6+ hrs/day) to part sun (4-6 hrs/day). Though inkberry holly can take some dryness, foliage will begin to brown if it dries out frequently or severely. How To Grow Soil: Moist but well-drained soils are best. Uses: Hedge, low hedge, specimen, containers, formal gardens, native plant gardens Sun exposure: Full sun (6+ hours sun) to part-sun (4-6 hours sun)įeatures: Evergreens, native, deer resistant, container plants, best for beginners Details Botanical name: Ilex glabra 'ILEXFARROWTRACEY' However, there are no compatible males currently on the market to ensure the cross pollination required for fruit to form. Note about berries: Strongbox inkberry holly is a female variety and can potentially develop berries. History buffs, take note: this plants is called “inkberry holly” because Civil War soldiers used its berries to make a crude ink to write letters home. And it won't get boxwood blight Size: 2 to 3 feet tall and wide USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9 Juke Box Pyracomeles (x. Though it is not quite as shade tolerant and deer resistant as boxwood, it’s more adaptable and of course, more disease resistant. Strongbox Inkberry Holly (Ilex glabra 'Strongbox') Upright branches and a mostly round shape make this lesser-known native holly a good planting up against foundations or along walks. Plant inkberry holly as a low hedge, specimen, or use it as an edging. Especially nice in native plant and pollinator gardens! It needs no trimming to maintain this tidy shape and lends the perfect semi-formal accent to any kind of landscape. Strongbox® is more squat and “tuna can”-shaped than Gem Box, which is more of a globe. Like its sister plant Gem Box® inkberry holly, it’s a native evergreen with a neat, dense habit that looks like boxwood but is more durable and disease resistant. Plus, they’re a native genus, something that’s more and more interesting to people not just on Earth Day but every day.More Information Description Strongbox® inkberry holly ( Ilex glabra) is yet another innovative boxwood alternative from Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs. These two Ilex glabra are strong contenders as alternatives to boxwood. Green industry professionals can do the same. Think of it like food: when a favorite item is unavailable or out of season, top chefs find a way to make gourmet meals with other ingredients. No pruning needed Naturally grows with a neat, rounded shape. While we’re certainly working hard as an industry to find controls and more disease-resistant varieties, we’ve got to be ready to try new genera, too. Strongbox Inkberry Holly Native evergreen looks like boxwood. ![]() ![]() There are plenty of reasons why boxwood Buxus is a landscape staple, but as it faces multiple pest and disease threats, the horticulture world need to adapt. Leaves are mid-green and quite unlike the prickly, shiny leaves of evergreen Hollies. ![]() These days when it’s becoming harder to find plants, that’s a real benefit that your local nursery is hopefully taking advantage of. Winterberry Hollies (Ilex verticillata) are deciduous plants. One final point in Ilex glabra’s favor: it’s way faster growing than boxwood. They are both dense, well-branched varieties that avoid that bare-legged look that can plague other varieties and welcome the heavy shearing that boxwood fans often enjoy.Įither will grow in full sun or part shade and is hardy in USDA 5-9. The leaves of Strongbox are a little bigger than those of Gem Box, but both look a lot like boxwood and can be sheared or shaped just like Buxus. Like other Ilex glabra, they will grow in full sun or partial shade and have good deer resistance. They’re pretty similar, although Strongbox® has larger leaves and maybe a little more squat than Gem Box. Both of these new varieties stay about 2-3 tall and wide and maintain a nice rounded habit. Strongbox® (left) and Gem Box® (right) are two compact selections of our native Ilex glabra. Strongbox Ilex glabra Gem Box Ilex glabra And then there’s the added bonus that it doesn’t stink! I’m a confessed crazy cat lady, but wow, sometimes a boxwood planting is overwhelming. This plant isn’t bothered at all by wet feet. Full disclosure: it’s not quite as deer-resistant and not quite as shade-tolerant, but it will do pretty well overall. Inkberry holly ( Ilex glabra) is a great substitute for boxwood in many situations. Looking for a new kind of evergreen hedge? Even if you haven’t yet been affected by boxwood blight or the boxwood tree moth, you should be aware of those threats and be ready to pivot as needed.
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