About Ilex glabra (L.) A.Gray
This species, Ilex glabra (L.) A.Gray, produces spineless, flat, glossy dark green leaves that range in shape from ovate to elliptic, reaching up to 1.5 inches (3.8 centimeters) in length. The leaf margins are mostly smooth, with only a few teeth located near the leaf tip. The leaves usually stay an attractive bright green through the winter, unless temperatures drop below −17 °C (0 °F). Small greenish white flowers bloom in spring; male flowers grow in cymes, while female flowers grow in cymes or appear singly. These flowers are relatively inconspicuous. If successfully pollinated, female flowers develop into pea-sized, jet black, berry-like drupes called inkberries. These drupes grow up to 3/8 of an inch in diameter, mature in early fall, and persist on the plant from winter through early spring, unless they are eaten by local bird populations. Cultivars of this species, such as Ilex glabra 'Shamrock', are typically more compact, and less open, leggy, and prone to suckering than the wild-type species.
