Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Shrub
Origin
North America, Northeastern United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States
Southern Africa
Types
Ilex glabra, Ilex crenata, Ilex verticillata
Carissa bispinosa, Carissa carandas
Number of Varieties
320
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Lowland, Mountains, Subtropical climates, Suburban areas
Coastal Regions, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-99-11
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
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
120.00 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
White
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
Black
Light Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Elliptic and Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Shade areas
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
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, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Water daily during growing season, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
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
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
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Insects, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Thripes, Whiteflies
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Shade areas
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
-
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Birds
Allergy
-
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Bonsai, Cottage Garden, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
Flowers, Fruits
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Mixed Border, Wildflower
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
ILEX glabra
CARISSA macrocarpa
Common Name
American Pokeweed, Inkberry, Silberstein American Pokeweed
Carissia
In Hindi
Inkberry
Carissa
In German
Inkberry
carissa
In French
Inkberry
carissa
In Spanish
Inkberry
carissa
In Greek
Inkberry
carissa
In Portuguese
Inkberry
carissa
In Polish
inkberry
carissa
In Latin
Inkberry
carissa
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Aquifoliales
Gentianales
Family
Phytolaccaceae
Apocynaceae
Genus
Ilex
Carissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Carisseae
Subfamily
-
Rauvolfioideae
Number of Species
600100
1
27800
👆🏻