Discover the Hardy Gallberry: A Native Evergreen for Diverse Landscapes
The Gallberry (Ilex glabra), also known as Inkberry, is a robust native evergreen shrub valued for its versatility and wildlife benefits. Found throughout Florida’s wetlands and uplands, it forms upright clumps with lustrous dark green leaves. Female plants produce distinctive black berries that persist from fall into spring, providing a crucial food source for birds. Inconspicuous white flowers bloom in May, attracting pollinators. Adaptable to various conditions, Gallberry thrives in part shade to full sun and tolerates extended flooding, acidic to slightly alkaline soils, and moderate drought once established. Its ability to spread and form thickets makes it excellent for mass plantings, screens, and naturalized areas, and it is relatively pest and disease-free.
Sizes Available
Wholesale Only
1 Gallon
$4.00
3 Gallon
$8.00
A Gallberry shrub displays its dense, dark green evergreen foliage and clusters of black berries, providing year-round interest and vital food for birds.
Scientific Name: Ilex glabra
Common Name: Gallberry, Inkberry
Hardiness Zones: 5 through 10A
Height: 6 to 8 feet
Spread: 8 to 10 feet
Growth Rate: Slow
Foliage: Spring & Summer: Lustrous dark green, evergreen leaves, ¾ to 2 inches long, with a few teeth near the apex or entire margins, providing year-round color. Fall: No significant color change; remains green.
Bark: Typically multi-trunked or clumping stems; not particularly showy, with a current year stem/twig color of green.
Sun: Part shade to part sun is ideal; thrives in a range of light conditions.
Soil: Highly tolerant, adapting to extended flooding, acidic to slightly alkaline soils, sand, loam, and clay; prefers moist, acidic conditions but shows good adaptability.
Wildlife Value: The black berries are a valuable and persistent food source for birds, especially during fall and winter. The flowers attract a wide variety of bees, supporting local pollinator populations.
Why Choose Gallberry?
Excellent for Mass Plantings and Naturalization:
The Gallberry’s ability to spread through underground runners and form thickets makes it an excellent choice for mass plantings, naturalized areas, and reclamation projects. It can quickly colonize disturbed sites and provide a consistent ground cover or backdrop.
Persistent Berries for Winter Bird Food:
Female Gallberry plants produce black berries that remain on the shrubs from September through May, offering a reliable and long-lasting food source for birds throughout the fall and winter months when other food may be scarce.
Adaptable to Various Soil and Moisture Conditions:
This hardy native shrub demonstrates remarkable adaptability to a wide range of soil types and moisture levels, tolerating extended flooding as well as moderately dry conditions once established, making it suitable for diverse landscape challenges.
Low Maintenance and Relatively Pest-Free:
Gallberry is generally a low-maintenance plant with no significant pest or disease problems. Older plants can be easily renewed with heavy pruning, and its overall resilience makes it a dependable choice for various garden styles.
Environmental Benefits of Planting Gallberry
This data is based on US Averages of healthy and mature trees over a 20-year period.
Check out the USDA’s MyTree Tool to input your custom location data.
CO2 Offset
A single gallberry can offset the CO₂ emissions produced by driving an average gas-powered car for 3,320 miles.
Water Filtration
A single galberry can absorb enough stormwater to fill 196 bathtubs, reducing erosion, runoff, and supporting transpiration.
Removes Air Pollution
A single gallberry removes as much air pollution as the weight of 22 smartphones.
Featured Projects
Central Florida Lands and Timber Nursery, LLC. is a wholesale nursery specializing in a wide array of Florida native trees. With an inventory of over 2 million container-grown trees, CFLTN, LCC can meet the needs of large-scale reforestation, mitigation, and landscaping projects throughout the Southeast region.
Phone
(386) 294-1211
Address
3087 North County Road 53 Mayo, Florida 32066