Aquifoliaceae

Carolina holly

Ilex ambigua (Michx.) Torr.

Family: Aquifoliaceae
Genus: Ilex

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Carolina holly (Ilex ambigua) — FlowerPhoto: Jay Horn, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist

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Common names

By language (1)

English: Carolina holly, Sand holly

Synonyms

Ilex ambigua f. channellii Edwin
Ilex ambigua var. ambigua
Ilex ambigua var. coriacea Trel.
Ilex beadlei var. laevis Ashe
Ilex buswellii Small
Ilex caroliniana (Walter) Trel.
Ilex dubia f. condensata Loes.
Ilex dubia f. grayiana Loes.
Nemopanthus ambiguus (Michx.) Alph.Wood
Prinos ambiguus Michx.
Synstima acuminata Raf.
Synstima ambigua Raf. ex S.Watson
Synstima caroliniana Raf.

Characteristics

Growth habit: Shrub, Tree
Lifespan: Perennial
In the US and Canada: Lower 48 states: native

Photos

FlowerPhoto: Jay Horn, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
FruitPhoto: Jay Horn, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
FruitPhoto: Valerie Anderson, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
FruitPhoto: Robin Stonecypher, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
FruitPhoto: Jay Horn, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Jay Horn, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Athena Philips, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Jochen Essig, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Athena Philips, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Athena Philips, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Claire Herzog, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Austin N. Fife, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist

More in Ilex

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.