Squeeze Box® Inkberry Holly (Ilex)
Perennial
- Male pollinator, berry production when paired with Gem Box® inkberry holly & Strongbox® inkberry holly.
- Columnar evergreen, makes a shapely specimen.
- Native evergreen from Proven Winners looks like boxwood.
- Zones 5-9, sun/part sun, 4 – 6’ x 2 – 3’ at maturity.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
A native plant, Squeeze Box® inkberry holly from Proven Winners is indigenous to North America, naturally adapted to the climate and soil conditions of the region, they thrive without fertilizers or extra watering, once established. History buffs, take note: this plant is called "inkberry holly" because Civil War soldiers used its berries to make a crude ink to write letters home. They also act as natural pest controls, reducing the need for pesticides in the garden. Landscaping with native plants promotes biodiversity and provides shelter and quality food for wildlife and pollinators, bringing gardens to life.
Details
Patent: PP#35,019
Common name: Inkberry holly
Zone: 5-9
Sun exposure: Full sun (6+ hours sun) to part-sun (4-6 hours sun)
Height x width: 4 – 6’ x 2 – 3’
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.
Very disappointing
Hello! It is common for plants to experience slight stress from shipping, as they have not experienced their ideal growing conditions at this time. We recommend placing plants in a cool, shaded spot out of direct sunlight for 24-48 hours after unpacking them. This allows them a recovery and acclimation period before planting. If you must hold them longer, place them out of direct sunlight, wind, heat, and cold, and plant as soon as possible. Our fall guarantee covers plants received after September 1 until May 2026, so we have you covered. Please send your order number and pictures of your plants to [email protected] to start the claims process. We look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee
I looked all over for Ilex Squeeze Box, and was so glad to find it here. A quart sized plant is small, but it was healthy and arrived safely. Shipping was quick.
They are not thriving in my alkaline clay soil with a young dog and free range chickens. Still hoping I can convince them to grow. Using a soil acidifier, holly fertilizer and covering with cloches. Larger plants tend to do better in my situation.
Our friendly customer service team is here to help! Just contact us at [email protected] with your order number and photos of the plants. After further investigation, we will be able to better assist you. All orders are covered by our 60-day guarantee. We appreciate your feedback and look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee
I bought three of the Squeeze Box® Inkberry Holly (Ilex) for my landscape redo along with some blue kazoo and gem box to add more greenery and cooler color with the kazoo. So far they are doing very well with adjusting to their new locations. I bought them smaller so I could relocate other seasonal plants and bulbs that won’t flow with my plan. Shrubs were packaged and delivered with care and professionalism. I’ve placed several other orders with Great Garden this season and am very happy. I can’t wait to see the new growth on the Squeeze Box® Inkberry Holly (Ilex) and enjoy the new layout.
Arrived in great condition and continues to thrive a few weeks since planting.
I've been gradually incorporating more native plants into my garden. I ordered 13 inkberry hollies from Great Garden Plants to replace a boxwood hedge. All arrived healthy and looking great. The soil was moist and the shrubs weren't root bound. They're now all tucked in for a long winter's nap. Thank you!
All plants were delivered fast, were planted on the same day and look perfect now!
Look healthy, but really small
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 fall guarantee, so please reach out to [email protected] to start the claims process if necessary. https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee
I've ordered 6 of this bush and 4 have been beautiful. 2 did not survive despite being right by the others bushes but I was so grateful that you refunded me so I could buy 2 more to replace the ones that did not survive. excellent quality plants.
The plant came in very good condition. It was planted right away and is being watered when necessary. It is producing new growth and doing very well.
Looks great!
So impressed with the size of the specimen! Packaged perfectly. I have ordered multiple times this growing season and I have been pleased EVERY TIME!
While the plant is small, it is healthy and has continued growing after I planted it in the ground. I have it planted inside my fenced back yard so hopefully nothing touches it.
To use as a cross pollinator, is there a ratio to between male and female plants to consider?
Squeeze Box® Inkberry Holly can pollinate up to 5 Gem Box® inkberry holly or Strongbox® inkberry holly as long as it's planted within 50 feet.
How big will this plant be if I order one?
Squeeze Box® Inkberry Holly arrives in a one quart container. Plant size varies widely depending on the variety that you purchase and the time of year. You can find more information on plants sizes here:
https://www.greatgardenplants.com/pages/sizes
I would like to get both male and female plants of native inkberry. Am I correct that I need female as well? Do you have one? Cannot find on your website. TIA
Hi there! You can purchase the female variety Gem Box® Inkberry Holly here:
https://www.greatgardenplants.com/products/gem-box-inkberry-holly
What size is the plant when shipped?
Hello! Plant size varies widely depending on the variety that you purchase and the time of year. The important thing when it comes to purchasing plants, whether online or in a garden center, is that they have a full, robust root system, and that's what we prioritize in our growing. The more roots a plant has, the more energy it can put into growing once it is planted in your garden.
Hi, I bought 2 squeeze box inkberry and 1 gem box inkberry earlier in the spring, but I moved them around and now I can’t tell which are which! They are all about the same size right now. Is there any easy way to distinguish the squeeze box from the gem box while they’re still small?
Unfortunately, there's not a good way to tell them apart while they're small. Once they get a little bigger the male holly, Squeeze Box, will start to grow taller while the femaly holly, Gem Box, will stay smaller and rounder.