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Ilex ambigua
Carolina Holly
Sand Holly
Synonym(s): Ilex ambigua var. ambigua
Florida native
A common shrub or small tree of hammocks, scrub, sandhills and dunes in much of Florida from Lee and Martin Counties northward. The range extends throughout the southeastern Unites States from Texas and Oklahoma into Kentucky and Virginia.
Usually a low deciduous shrub, but can grow as a tree up to 6m (~20 ft.) in height. Dioecious, with the male flowers growing in clusters and the female flowers solitary. The alternate and simple leaves are 2.5-10cm long, 1-5cm wide, margins crenate to serrate, and if teeth are present, usually only from the middle to the tip. Fruit is a berry 4-7mm in diameter, starting out green and turning red as it matures. A distinguishing characteristic is the peduncles (flower and fruit stalks) are less than 4mm long. Ilex ambigua is also usually found in dryer habitats than most of the other hollies in Florida.
Ilex ambigua is a member of the Aquifoliaceae - Holly family.
Other species of the Ilex genus in the Wild Florida Photo database:
Ilex cassine var. cassine - DAHOON HOLLY
Ilex decidua - POSSUMHAW
Ilex glabra - INKBERRY
Ilex opaca var. arenicola - SCRUB HOLLY
Ilex opaca var. opaca - AMERICAN HOLLY
Ilex vomitoria - YAUPON
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species
USDA Plant Profile for this species
Date record last modified: Oct 31, 2022
