Gem Box® Inkberry Holly (Ilex)
Shrub
- Native evergreen from Proven Winners looks like boxwood.
- Lush and full to the ground, looks stunning in the landscape!
- Naturally grows with a neat, rounded shape.
- Makes a shapely specimen or nice low hedge.
- Zones 5-9, sun/part sun, 3' tall x 3' wide at maturity
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
Details
Patent #: USPP 27,554
Common name: Inkberry holly, Dwarf Inkberry holly
Zone: 5-9
Sun exposure: Full sun (6+ hours sun) to part-sun (4-6 hours sun)
Height x width: 2-3' tall and wide
Flower color: White
Foliage color: Green
Season of Interest: Year-round
Features: Space savers, rabbit resistant, Proven Winners, native, heat tolerant, evergreens, deer resistant, container plants, best for beginners
Uses: Hedge, low hedge, specimen, containers, formal gardens, native plant gardens.
How to Grow
Light: Full sun (6+ hrs/day) to part sun (4-6 hrs/day).
Water: Average to abundant (as long as soil is well-drained).
Space: 2-3' apart, depending on landscape role.
Fertilizing: If desired, fertilize in early spring, once the ground has thawed, with a granular rose fertilizer. A second application may be made in late spring/early summer as well.
Winterizing: 2-3" of shredded bark mulch is important to protect the shallow roots and minimize water loss. Do not allow plants to enter winter "thirsty"; dry soil during cold, windy weather is the main cause of leaf browning or even the plant dying.
Maintenance: Trim as needed to maintain shape and size desired. Save major pruning for mid-late spring, after new growth has emerged but before it becomes hard and woody.
Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:
Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:
Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.
If you want to wait a while other year for your plant to grow buy from this company. Plants come in tiny and not the freshest. Go to your local garden store instead.
We’re sorry you’re not satisfied with your plants! On each product page and our plant sizes page, we note that all of our plants are young. The size of our plants varies depending on the time of year and whether they were recently trimmed. The most important thing when purchasing plants, online or in garden centers, is a full and robust root system, which we prioritize. Trimming only encourages stronger root development! All orders are covered by our 60-day guarantee, so please reach out to [email protected] to start the claims process if necessary.
I wanted to replace a row of boxwoods and bought ten of these inkberry hollies. They were small when they arrived but healthy. Within two months they had black leaves and yellow leaves and dropping leaves. They are really picky about watering, about soil and the amount of light they get so definitely not easy like boxwoods. Not recommended if looking for something easy to grow.
I bought 9 of the same plant and I was pretty nervous about them since they were shipped across the country and it took like 9 or 10 days for me to receive them after they shipped. I thought for sure they'd be dead or in sorry shape when they arrived. I was pleasantly surprised by the packaging and the plants were doing great when I got them. There was one "runt of the litter" that didn't make it but customer service was awesome and sent me a replacement plant for free. Now all 9 are happy in their new home and there's been a lot of new growth. I would shop here again.
If you're looking for something with rich, green leaves that's evergreen and very resilient, Gem Box is it. Better than a boxwood, no shearing is needed to keep it a nice little neat ball. I've planted several that are in pretty much all-afternoon hot sun in 8b, next to a wall with stone facing, and they have thrived. Not many evergreens stay this tidy and do well with drought and heat in the deep south, and I've put a Gem Box in practically every flower bed we have for winter interest!
Arrived safely and securely packed. We followed the clear instructions and they are doing well after about a month.
Needed to start small due to the area of planting. If they adjust to/tolerate our heavy clay soil I'll be happy! So far so good. It will be a few years before they begin to look like a shrub, but right now they are just adorable. Like little lollipops!
I absolutely loved the holly that arrived. I couldn't find one locally, so I was delighted to see that Great Garden Plants had them in stock. I was very impressed with how it was packed. It looked healthy and vibrant. It is doing fantastic in its new spot. I hope to get another soon.
Gem Box® Inkberry Holly (Ilex)
I bought small plants and they have been in the ground for just a few weeks. So who knows?
We’re sorry you’re not satisfied with your plants! On each product page and our plant sizes page, we note that all of our plants are young. The size of our plants varies depending on the time of year and whether they were recently trimmed. The most important thing when purchasing plants, online or in garden centers, is a full and robust root system, which we prioritize. Trimming only encourages stronger root development! All orders are covered by our 60-day guarantee, so please reach out to [email protected] to start the claims process if necessary.
They arrived as scheduled and in great condition. They are far smaller than anticipated, but we trust they will blossom into vibrant, healthy plants.
Knowledgeable staff, great quality plants, excellent packing, reasonable prices.
Grateful thanks!
Easy ordering. Great updates. Gift recipients loved the gift in memory of loved one.
Gem box makes a great stand-along border or accent plants for bare spots. It's very hardy and forgiving of harsh weather.
These plants are doing great and are perfect for a small evergreen. I may have to purchase more!
When I opened the shipping box, the bottom was filled with dead leaves from my two shrubs. One plant has two remaining attached leaves. I hope it's enough to grow roots during this inaugural "sleep" year. Three weeks in the ground and no verdict yet.
Hello! We apologize that you received plants that are not up to our standards. While we try our best to provide exceptional service, some factors, like shipping and handling, are outside our control, and issues like this can sometimes happen. Please email pictures of the plants to [email protected], making sure to put your order number and name in the subject line so that we may provide the best assistance possible. Rest assured, we have a 60-day guarantee on all our plants. If you received your plants within that time frame, we would be happy to apply your warranty once we receive the pictures. Happy Gardening!
https://www.greatgardenplants.com/pages/our-guarantee
Great Gardens excellent to work with. Plants are thriving and the couple that weren’t were promptly replaced.
For what I was charged the plants were too small. I should have gone to a retail nursery and paid a bit more for a larger specimen.
I'm sorry you are not satisfied with your plants! We do note that all of our plants are young on each product page and on our plant sizes page (found here).
Rest assure you have 60 day warranty on all of your plants. Please email pictures of any plant in question to [email protected]
We ordered the small shrubs to save money knowing it could be a few years before they grew to their expected size. They were packaged very nicely and are quite healthy. We planted right away after receiving them and are very pleased with how well they are doing.
Plants are doing great
3 of the 4 holly bushes I bought died. I emailed customer service about 3 weeks ago and never had a response
Hello! Sarah emailed you 8/12, the same day you contacted us, asking you to send photos of the plant so that we can process your warranty.
Please email pictures of the plant to [email protected], making sure to put your order number and name in the subject line so that we may provide the best assistance possible. Rest assured, we do have a 60-day guarantee on all of our plants. If you received your plants within that timeframe, we will be happy to apply your warranty once we receive the pictures. Happy Gardening!
I ordered two plants and one lost all its leaves in a few days. GGP sent me a new one. It too started to loose leaves but I planted it right away. The first bush is doing great, and the other one is doing well. It stopped dropping leaves. I don’t know why this happened but I think it will totally recover in time. Great company to buy from.
Inkberry are very small. They have grown very little.
Hello! Thank you for your feedback. As noted on our website, we do ship young plants with well established root systems. It's hard to say for certain why you haven't seen much growth in you inkberry, since many factors like weather, watering, soil type, and fertilizing all come into play. When transplanting young plants from a nursery pot to a garden, the plant allocates more energy to root development instead of shoot development (above ground). It's important for them to develop a robust root system so they can actually absorb the nutrients and water in the soil around them. Then after their root system is more developed they'll invest in their shoots and flower development. this is true of plants in a garden center or plants purchased online. With proper care, you'll see new growth in time. Happy Gardening!
Been a dry year since I planted them and all are doing well very drought tolerant bushes.
My plants were healthy and looked good. I was, however, stunned by how small they were. One box came and thought it was a plant, one. But the one box contained all 3 that I ordered. I was anticipating small but they were tiny, only a few inches tall. The plants have grown and done well but now only barely 9”. Shipment was quick.
Shop local, lower carbon footprint.
Healthy little plant. I will know it better when it grows larger.