Life Span
Perennial
Biennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Tree
Origin
North America, Northeastern United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States
South-Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, China
Types
Ilex glabra, Ilex crenata, Ilex verticillata
Purple Orchid Tree, White Orchid Tree, Bidi leaf tree
Number of Varieties
320
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Lowland, Mountains, Subtropical climates, Suburban areas
Forests, Mountain Slopes, Valley
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-99-13
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
12-9
Sunset Zone
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 9, 10, 11, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
120.00 cm760.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm17.80 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Light Pink, Magenta, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Black
Green, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Dark Green
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Butterfly shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
Early Spring, Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Budding, Grafting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water more in summer, Water when soil is dry
Average Water Needs, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Water Deeply
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Shape and thin as needed
Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Apply N-P-K
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
-
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Birds
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Carminative, Laxative
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
Buds, Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seeds, Stem
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea
Fibre, Gum, Used as a dye
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Mixed Border, Wildflower
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
ILEX glabra
BAUHINIA purpurea
Common Name
American Pokeweed, Inkberry, Silberstein American Pokeweed
Butterfly Tree, Orchid Tree
In Hindi
Inkberry
Butterfly tree
In German
Inkberry
Schmetterlings- Baum
In French
Inkberry
arbre de papillon
In Spanish
Inkberry
árbol de la mariposa
In Greek
Inkberry
δέντρο πεταλούδα
In Portuguese
Inkberry
árvore borboleta
In Polish
inkberry
drzewo Butterfly
In Latin
Inkberry
Gloria ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Aquifoliales
Fabales
Family
Phytolaccaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Ilex
Bauhinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Cercideae
Subfamily
-
Caesalpinioideae
Number of Species
600500
1
27800
👆🏻