Inkberry Holly

Inkberry Holly is an evergreen shrub that grows to a maximum of 10 feet tall. It is a host plant for the Henry's elfin butterfly (Callophrys henrici). It is a dioecious plant, requiring both a female and a male plant to produce fruit. The flowers appear from May to June, and some sources claim they have a pleasant scent. Fruits are present in the fall and, while edible by humans, tend not to have much flavor. Songbirds and small mammals eat them. It can withstand heavy pruning in early spring, before new growth emerges, and can be used for a hedge. Toxic to pets (saponins).