Ilex glabra Gem Box - Inkberry

Ilex glabra Gem Box is a recent variety of Inkberry Holly, highly valued for its compactness and ornamental foliage. With its persistent, elongated, shiny dark green, densely arranged leaves, it can be a great alternative to Boxwood for topiaries or low hedges. In mid-spring, it produces a highly sought-after white flowering that is attractive to bees and adds to its decorative appeal. This extremely hardy, miniature shrub requires a non-calcareous soil, preferably acidic, and thrives in moist to wet conditions, growing well in full sun or partial shade.

Hollies belong to the Aquifoliaceae family and encompass over four hundred species of trees and shrubs spread across the globe, from tropical to temperate climates. Ilex glabra is an evergreen shrub native to the eastern part of North America, from Nova Scotia in Canada to Florida. Reaching a height of 3m, it grows in moist acidic soil, bearing narrow dark green leaves and flowering in June, followed by small black fruits.
Gem Box is a recent horticultural cultivar (since 2010) developed by American breeder Timothy D. Wood, on behalf of Spring Meadows Nurseries. It is protected in the market by two licenses, one in the United States (2017) and one in Europe (2022). With a slow growth rate and a significantly smaller size compared to the species, this variety typically reaches 1m in all directions after 10 years when planted in the ground. If left unpruned, its habit is relatively upright, forming more or less a cone shape. The plant has fine and narrow foliage, with beautiful dark green leaves that have a glossy surface, creating a stunning effect. They measure 3 to 4cm in length and 1cm in width, and unlike many other hollies, they are not prickly. Being evergreen, they provide ornamental interest all year round, especially in spring when the emerging shoots take on a brownish-orange colour. The shrub can produce suckers, so in late winter, it may be necessary to remove any shoots at its base...
In mid-spring, it produces small single flowers, approximately 1cm in diameter, composed of 6 white petals surrounding a green centre. These nectar-rich flowers attract bees, which in Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida produce a light berry honey, renowned in the United States. The pollinated flowers are followed by small shiny black fruits, which are inedible and can even be toxic to individuals sensitive to the saponins they contain. This extremely hardy (to -34°C or more) shrub thrives in full sun or partial shade in moist to wet soil, preferably acidic and rich in organic matter.

The Gem Box Holly can be left unpruned, but it performs best when trimmed into a low hedge or topiary, making it a great alternative to Boxwood, which is often attacked by Box Tree Moth caterpillars or affected by Cylindrocladium disease, leading to its decline. When trimmed into a ball shape, it looks perfect in a decorative pot to adorn a terrace which also allows you to avoid growing it in calcareous soil, which would cause chlorosis in the plant. You can also incorporate it into a flowerbed, alongside a Compact Bog Rosemary, a dwarf shrub with similar growing requirements that forms a spreading evergreen cushion and produces lovely small pink bells from April to June. The Ewa Mountain Laurel, a Mountain Laurel with stunning rose-coloured floral buds resembling meringues that open into fused corollas, would also make a great companion. To create a contrast in shape and colour with your small Holly, pair it with the Rheingold Western Arborvitae, a classic conifer known for its conical habit and golden foliage that always creates a striking effect when planted alongside darker foliage in a flowerbed.