Strongbox® Inkberry

Strongbox Inkberry brings the tidy, formal appearance of boxwood to a North American native shrub. Its small, spineless, glossy green leaves form a dense mound only about two to three feet tall and wide, making it especially useful for low hedges, foundation plantings, edging, mass plantings, and structured garden designs. Unlike many older inkberry selections, Strongbox was selected for its compact habit and tendency to retain foliage close to the ground.

As a cultivar of native Ilex glabra, Strongbox retains meaningful ecological value. Small white flowers appear in late spring and provide nectar and pollen for bees and other insects. Inkberry is also a larval host for Henry's elfin butterfly, while successfully pollinated female plants produce dark blue-black berries that are eaten by birds and other wildlife. The dense evergreen foliage also provides valuable year-round cover.

Strongbox is a female cultivar, so berries should not be expected unless a compatible male Inkberry is growing nearby. Proven Winners specifically recommends its male cultivar Squeeze Box® within roughly 50 feet for reliable pollination. Strongbox prefers acidic, consistently moist soil and can tolerate periodically wet conditions, making it useful around rain gardens and other moisture-retentive sites as well as ordinary garden beds that receive reliable moisture. It should not be considered a drought-tolerant shrub.

• Plant Strongbox in full sun to partial shade in acidic, moisture-retentive soil.
• Mulch around its shallow roots to help maintain consistent moisture.
• Little pruning is necessary, but shaping can be done in mid- to late spring.
• Plant a compatible male inkberry such as Squeeze Box® nearby if berry production is desired.