Inkberry 'Strongbox'

Ilex glabra 'Strongbox'

Inkberry 'Strongbox' is a shrub for edging, structure, suited to full sun to partial shade and loam, acid soil or moist ground, flowering May, Jun.

Where to use it in a border

At around 75 cm, it sits best toward the back of a border, or on its own as a focal point with room around it. Give it about 90 cm of room to spread. It is hardy across USDA zones 5a to 9b, so check it suits your area before planting.

It appears in our lists of full sun, acid soil, wet soil, evergreen plants, pollinator-friendly plants.

Border Builder uses Inkberry 'Strongbox''s height, spread, soil, bloom months and companions to place it in a full border plan for your own conditions, on iPhone and iPad.

Flowering through the year

Worth knowing

• Evergreen, so it keeps the border furnished through winter.
• It copes with ground that stays wet, which most border plants will not.
• It tolerates acid soil but dislikes shallow chalk.
• Not recorded as pet-safe; site it away from pets that graze if that matters to you.
• Its flowers are valued by bees and other pollinators.

Good companions

Plants that share its conditions and style, chosen to complement its place in the border:

• Allegheny Spurgeto edge in front
• Appalachian Sedgeto edge in front
• Bugleto edge in front
• Cherokee Sedgeto edge in front
• Coral Bells 'Autumn Bride'to edge in front
• Creeping Oregon Grapeto edge in front

Garden styles

Formal Foundation planting Native Shade cottage