Planting Inkberry Gem Box

A great native alternative to boxwood!

This cool new dwarf, broadleaf evergreen looks more like a boxwood than an inkberry. A dense, ball-shaped plant, Gem Box ilex has small, dainty, dark green leaves with attractive red tips during the spring flush. It maintains good branching right to the ground so it never looks bare-legged like other cultivars may. It’s great as a small evergreen hedge or used as a container specimen in milder climates.

Native to:
North America

Plant Type:
Shrub

Shrub Type:
Evergreen

Resists:
Deer

Height Category:
Short

Garden Height:
24 – 36 Inches

Spacing:
24 – 36 Inches

Spread:
24 – 36 Inches

Flower Colors:
White

Foliage Colors:
Green

Foliage Shade:
Dark Green

Habit:
Mounded

Container Role:
Thriller

Light Requirement:
Part Sun to Sun
Sun

Maintenance Category:
Easy

Bloom Time:
Grown for Foliage

Hardiness Zones:
5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b

Water Category:
Average

Soil PH Category:
Acidic Soil

Uses:
Border Plant
Container
Edging Plant
Landscape
Mass Planting
Specimen or Focal Point

Uses Notes:
Hedging, container gardens

Maintenance Notes:
Prefers moist acidic soils. Good shade tolerance. Prune to shape in late winter. Apply an evergreen fertilizer in spring.

Fun Facts:
Gem Box inkberry holly is a female variety and can potentially develop berries. However, there are no compatible males currently on the market to ensure the cross pollination required for fruit to form.

Information courtesy of ProvenWinners.com