Inkberry

Questions about inkberry

Does inkberry need sun or shade?

Inkberry grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day), part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun) and part shade (2 to 4 hours of sun, mostly in the morning).

It wants soil that stays evenly moist, of average fertility, and a good soak in dry spells. It copes with soil that stays wet.

What zones does inkberry grow in?

USDA zones 4 to 10. It is hardy to zone 4, which means it survives winter nights down to about −20 °F (−29 °C).

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

How far apart should inkberry be planted?

5 ft (150 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 6½ ft (200 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 6½ ft (200 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many inkberry plants do I need?

Usually one. At 5 ft (150 cm) across, it is a plant you place, not one you mass. For a hedge or screen, set them 5 ft apart: three plants for a 10 ft run.

In the bed above, the planner used one in one group.

Is inkberry poisonous to dogs and cats?

Yes: mild toxicity to people, dogs, cats and horses. The berries and leaves cause vomiting and diarrhoea if eaten.

Rated from NC State Extension. Where references disagree, the more cautious rating is used.

Is there a pet-safe plant like inkberry?

These come closest to doing what inkberry does, and no toxicity is recorded for them:

• Variegated red twig dogwood: the same job in a bed and the same size; medium leaves, not fine, not evergreen.
• Globe arborvitae 'Little Giant': the same job in a bed; 2½ ft shorter, 20 in narrower.
• Dwarf arctic willow: the same job in a bed; 2½ ft shorter, 12 in narrower.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Do deer eat inkberry?

Mostly not. NC State lists it as resistant to rabbits. No plant is proof against a hungry deer in a hard winter, but this one is low on the menu.

Will inkberry spread?

It spreads sideways, by runners or roots; the risk of it taking over is moderate. Spreads by suckers into a wider clump. Remove the outer shoots to contain it.

What does inkberry look like in winter?

Inkberry keeps its dark green leaves all winter, so it is one of the plants that hold a bed together from November to March, when the perennials have gone.

Is inkberry good for bees and butterflies?

Inkberry is visited by pollinators, bees, specialist bees, butterflies and songbirds.

It is a host plant: the caterpillars of henry's elfin feed on its leaves. A butterfly can only lay its eggs on its host plants, so these do more for it than any nectar flower.

It is native to the United States.