If you want a tidy, boxwood-like look with a native evergreen, Ilex glabra 'Gem Box®' is a great fit. This compact inkberry holly naturally forms a dense, rounded mound of small, glossy, dark green leaves that holds its shape well in the landscape.

Plant it in full sun to part shade for best growth and the fullest habit. You will get the happiest plant in consistently moist, well-drained soil with some acidity, but once established it can handle typical garden conditions as long as it is not allowed to dry out completely for long periods. Mulch helps keep roots cool and evenly moist.

Use 'Gem Box®' to edge a path, repeat in small groups for structure, or plant as a low, evergreen foundation shrub. It responds well to light pruning; you can shear it to keep a crisp outline, but it also looks good with minimal shaping. Prune after the small spring flowers if you want to keep the most natural form.

Inkberries are generally grown for their foliage and form, but the dark berries that sometimes follow are produced on female plants and require a nearby male inkberry for pollination. If berries are important to you, add a compatible male inkberry holly planted within the same garden area.

Specifications

• Cold hardiness zone: 5-9 (-20 degrees F) - Contact your local extension to confirm hardiness if you are in a fringe zone (we cannot guarantee hardiness in fringe zones)
• Light: Full sun   Part sun
• Growth rate: Slow
• Mature height: 24-36"
• Spread: 24-36"
• Evergreen: Yes
• Native to the U.S.: Yes

Shipping

FREE SHIPPING - Classy Groundcovers offers free shipping, and your plants never spend more than three days in transit.

Precise delivery - another benefit from shopping with us is that you know hpw to control exactly when your order will be shipped.

Shipping information that applies to all plants:
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