Inkberry

Ilex glabra

native · Central Texas

Inkberry is a shrub native to Central Texas that grows 10 ft tall. It wants full sun or part shade and high water. Blooms white in spring. Evergreen — it holds its leaves through winter. Good for birds.

Wet ground only. Usually found in wetlands and creek bottoms. It wants reliably moist ground and struggles in a dry upland bed.

Will it grow in your yard?

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The facts

5 sources

Type: Shrub
Sun: Full sun to part shade (3–6 hrs of direct sun)
Water: High
Height: About 10 ft
Bloom: Spring · white
Foliage: Evergreen
Wildlife: Supports birds

Where it grows

1 occurrence record in Central Texas (GBIF).

Can you buy it?

Also grows here — hard to find. Native and recorded growing in Central Texas, but not on the grower stock lists we read. Sourcing varies: some are stocked widely, others you will have to hunt for.

also grows from seed It starts readily from seed, so a packet from a native-seed supplier, or seed collected with permission, is often the easiest way to get a plant no nursery pots.