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Ilex glabra
Inkberry, Gallberry, Bitter Gallberry,Canadian Winterberry, Evergreen Winterberry, Appalachian Tea, Dye-leaves,

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Ilex glabra, or Inkberry Holly, is a colonial evergreen shrub with an erect but rounded form, 8 – 10 feet high. If you are not normally fond of prickly holly leaves, Inkberry may be the holly for you: it differs from all other evergreen hollies by lacking spines on the leaves. Inkberry leaves are dark green, shiny, roughly oval, and slightly toothed near the tips. It is a dioecious species, with male and female flowers appearing on separate plants. The flowers of Inkberry are usually 6-petaled, small, white and green (inconspicuous). The male flowers are in clusters, while female flowers are singular. Berries are a black with hints of red. This species is found in the coastal plain of all US states along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. In NC, it is reported in all lower piedmont and coastal plain counties. Inkberry thrives in rich, consistently moist, acidic soils in full sun, but it adapts really well to a wide range of light regimes (full sun to full shade), moisture levels and soil types, from sandy to heavier, peaty soils. It’s downside is that with age, the lower stems drop their leaves, creating an unattractive, leggy look in a more formal setting, but less important in a naturalistic planting. Inkberry is an understory plant in pine woods, and is stimulated by regular controlled burning, It is said to respond well to shearing for both rejuvenation and height control.

Last Updated: May 21, 2019

Key Info

Scientific Name: Ilex glabra (L.) A. Gray
Common Names: Inkberry, Gallberry, Bitter Gallberry,Canadian Winterberry, Evergreen Winterberry, Appalachian Tea, Dye-leaves,
Family Name: Aquifoliaceae (Holly Family)
Plant Type: Tree / Shrub
Uses: Naturalizing, Hedge, Pond side, Foundation, Wildlife plant. Rain garden
Light Requirement: Full sun, Full shade-bright, Partial/sunny, Partial/shady
Moisture Requirement: Dry, Medium, Moist well drained
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Bloom Times: May, Jun, Jul
Flower Color: White
Special Characteristics: Attracts bees, Attracts birds, Tolerates wet conditions, Evergreen, Showy fruit (females), Tolerates drought. Candidate for fire management, Reported to be deer resistant.

Additional Info

Habit: Erect, rounded, much-branched, broadleaf evergreen shrub with medium to fine texture, becoming open with age, and leggy below. It is colony-forming, with numerous sprouts from thick, heavy, tuberous rhizomes. If unattended,it will form extensive, dense, thickets.
Height: 5-8'
Spread: 5'-8'
Growth Rate: Moderate to slow
Soil Conditions: Wet, moist, dry; prefers moist, organic, well drained, acidic; sandy, sandy loam, medium loam, clay loam, clay.
Leaves: Alternate, simple, waxy leaves, 1" to 2" long and 0.33" to 0.5" wide, oval in shape, broadest above the middle and finely toothed toward the tip. They are dark to bright green and shiny above, lighter and dull beneath, and can take on a purplish cast in winter.
Flowers (or reproductive structures): Flowers are greenish white, 1/3 inch, not showy, with 5-7 petals. The staminate flowers occur in axillary clusters of 3-7, the pistillate flowers are more often solitary or in 3-flowered cymes in leaf axils.
Fruit: Pea-sized, jet black to reddish, shiny, berry-like drupes 1/4" to 3/8 inch diameter containing 5-7 seeds (pyrenes). Fruits mature in early fall (September/October) and persist throughout winter to early spring unless consumed by birds.
Natural Distribution: Sandy woods and peripheries of swamps and bogs; wet woods, pocosins, savannas, pine barrens.
USDA Hardiness Zone: 5 to 9
USDA Wetland Indicator Status in NC: FAC (fACW on coastal plain)
Pollination: Bees, butterflies, other insects
Wildlife Connections: The nectar of the Inkberry flowers is an important resource for honey production, and it attracts a large numbers of honey bees and other pollinators. The fruits are eaten by at least 15 species of song birds and game birds, including bobwhite quail and wild turkey. The fruits are also important food for raccoon, coyote, and opossum when other sources are scarce. Inkberry leaves are browsed by marsh rabbit and white tailed-deer. Finally, Inkberry provides cover for white-tailed deer, small rodents, and several species of birds.
Pharmacology: It is reported that all Ilex species may be somewhat toxic if ingested. At the same time, it is known that dried and roasted inkberry leaves were first used by Native Americans to brew a black tea-like drink, hence the sometimes used common name of Appalachian tea for this shrub.
Cultural Notes: Gallberry honey, a mild flavored, light colored honey, is a highly rated honey produced in certain parts of the Southeastern U.S., especially Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia. There beekeepers will release bees from late April to early June to coincide with inkberry flowering time.
Downside: Inkberry is pest free, but it has a tendency to become leggy near the ground as it ages. However, it withstands heavy pruning and renewal of old plants is suggested. Also it is rhizomatous and can form large, expanding colonies unless root suckers are removed regularly.
Propagation: From cuttings or from seeds.
USDA/NRCS Plant Distribution Map: View Map at USDA.gov

Availability

Available: Quarts, $10
Available: 3-Gallons, $40
Available: Smalls, $55

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Cure Nursery is a small nursery propagating and selling native plants for the Southeastern U.S. We are located near the town of Pittsboro, Chatham County, in central NC.

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