Ilex glabra Gem Box® (Inkberry) is a dwarf, broadleaf evergreen of compact, rounded habit with lush foliage of small, dainty, dark green leaves adorned with attractive red tips during the spring flush. Gem Box Inkberry Holly (Ilex) Live Shrub, Green Foliage, 4.5 in. Qt.

Understanding the Context

If you’re a fan of boxwood, or simply a fan of fine-textured evergreens, you’ll really like Gem Box Prime inkberry holly. It’s native to North America and works really well as a boxwood substitute or four-season interest for any gardener hoping to plant more natives. Gem Box® inkberry holly (Ilex glabra) is a ground-breaking alternative to boxwood. Though it grows native across much of eastern North America, Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs selected Gem Box® for its dense, neat, rounded shape and ability to stay lush and full all the way to the ground.

Key Insights

The Gem Box® Inkberry Holly is a special form of the native inkberry, which grows quickly into a neat, round bush with small green leaves and a compact form. It can be clipped into formal balls and hedges and it makes an easy-to-grow substitute for boxwood. Gem Box Inkberry Holly is the perfect blend of native durability and boxwood-like refinement. It’s reliable, compact, deer-resistant, and stays beautifully green all year long — everything today’s homeowners want in a small evergreen shrub. Gem Box® Inkberry Holly is a compact evergreen with boxwood-like shape, red-tinted spring growth, and year-round structure—perfect for hedges, borders, or containers.

Final Thoughts

Earn 47 Points when you buy this item. Ships in 10-14 days, weather permitting. 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. A dense, ball-shaped plant, Gem Box Ilex has small dark green leaves with attractive red tips during the spring flush. It is great as a small evergreen hedge or in a container in milder climates.

A female selection of Ilex glabra, Gem Box® may produce berries when a compatible male is nearby. Its dense branching structure eliminates the leggy look often found in older hollies, making it a visually appealing choice for mass plantings or low borders.