Inkberry

Ilex glabra

almond-shaped leaves of the inkberry plant with dark purple berry-like fruits
“Ilex glabra 1” by Scott Zona, via Flickr. CC BY-NC 2.0.
delicate white flower of the inkberry plant
“Ilex glabra 3eIR” by jimduggan24, via Flickr. CC BY 2.0.

Ecological Benefits: Attract pollinators, particularly honey bees, and supports various bird species

Bloom period: early summer-early fall

Best Areas for Planting: high moisture, part shade; sandy to peaty acidic soils

Natural Habitat: can be found in wet environments such as bogs or the woods of coastal plaints

Most of the species information is from The Virginia Native Plant Society website, which offers free, extensive pdfs for each region of Virginia, highlighting about 100 native species (there are many more!) and helpful additional information for planning personal projects. If you aren’t from Virginia, you can search for similar resources in your state! To explore other resources and advice, navigate to the guidance page.

Visit the homepage to explore other sites and learn more about native plants.