Carolina Holly
Ilex ambigua
Carolina holly is a deciduous holly of dry Southeastern woods, dropping its leaves to reveal red berries that feed birds into winter. As with all hollies, a male plant nearby is needed for fruit.
- Family
- Aquifoliaceae
- Type
- tree
- Lifespan
- perennial
- Height
- 6–15 ft
- Spacing
- 6–12 ft apart
- Light
- sun, part shade
- Soil moisture
- dry, moist
- Soil pH
- acidic
- Bloom
- March, April
- Bloom colors
- white
- Wildlife value
- pollinators, songbirds, larval host
- Caterpillar hosts
- ~39 butterfly & moth species
- Landscape uses
- specimen, hedge or screen
- Native states
- AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV
Related native plants
More Ilex species
- American Holly (Ilex opaca)
- Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria)
- Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata)
- Possumhaw (Ilex decidua)
- Inkberry (Ilex glabra)
- Dahoon Holly (Ilex cassine)