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- Grower Sheet: Boxwood Alternatives
- Benchcard: Gem Box® Ilex Benchcard
- Tag: Gem Box® Ilex Tag
- Plant of the Week: Plant of the Week, October 18, 2018: Gem Box® and Strongbox® Ilex glabra
- Grower Sheet: Gem Box® Ilex Grower Sheet
- Plant of the Week: Plant of the Week February 6, 2020
- Booklet/Brochure: Top 10 Landscape Shrubs - 2021
- Plant of the Week: Plant of the Week April 22, 2021
- Grower Sheet: Spec Sheet: 2020 Shrubs of the Year Grower’s Guide
- Spec Sheet: Gem Box® Ilex Spec Sheet
- Booklet/Brochure: A New Vision for Native Shrubs
GEM BOX®
Holly - Inkberry
Ilex glabra
'SMNIGAB17'
PP#27,554; CBR#5629
- Native to North America
- Boxwood alternative
- Disease resistant
- Description
Gem Box® inkberry holly is a dense, ball-shaped plant with small dark green leaves. Foliage develops attractive red tips during the spring flush. Maintains good branching right to the ground so it never looks bare-legged like other cultivars can. As versatile and good-looking as boxwood with no disease issues!
- USDA Zone
- 5 - 9 (-20°F/-28.9°C)
- Exposure
- Full sun, Part sun
- Height
- 2 - 3'
- Width
- 2 - 3'
- Finish Time
- 1 season
- Type
- Evergreen
- Bloom Time
- Spring
- Flower Color
- White
- Foliage Color
- Green
- Liner Sizes
- 2 1/4", 4", Quick Turn
General Care
Soil
Does best in moist (even very moist), slightly acidic soils.Pruning
Naturally dense habit requires little pruning; may be trimmed after new growth has hardened off in late spring, though.Uses
Hedges; edgings; foundation plantings; specimen; containers; mass planting.Growing Tips
Tolerates shade well, but leaf color and overall foliage coverage is better with at least some sun. Grows most rapidly where moisture is consistently available.Features: Evergreen, Native, Winter interest, Compact, Salt tolerant, Deer resistant
Filters: Botanical genus: Ilex, Common name: Holly - Inkberry, Retail program: Proven Winners® ColorChoice®, USDA Zone 5, USDA Zone 6, USDA Zone 7, USDA Zone 8, USDA Zone 9, Exposure: Full sun, Exposure: Part sun, Bloom time: Spring, White flowers, Green foliage
Features: Evergreen, Native, Winter interest, Compact, Salt tolerant, Deer resistant
Filters: Botanical genus: Ilex, Common name: Holly - Inkberry, Retail program: Proven Winners® ColorChoice®, USDA Zone 5, USDA Zone 6, USDA Zone 7, USDA Zone 8, USDA Zone 9, Exposure: Full sun, Exposure: Part sun, Bloom time: Spring, White flowers, Green foliage