Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Aquifoliaceae

Genus:

Ilex

Species:

Ilex ambigua

USDA Symbol:

ILAM

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub , Tree

Height:

600 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

apr,may

Bloom Colors:

white

Landscaping Shrub:

Yes

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★★☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:

★☆☆☆☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, small mammals

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fall Color:

yellow

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from root crown following fire. Found in fire-maintained sandhills and pine flatwoods habitats.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, well-drained, slightly acidic soil

pH:

5.5 - 6.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

Commonly found in sandy pine forests

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Warm then cold/moist stratification (double dormancy) — 60–120 days

Germination Time:

30–365 days

Notes:

Ilex seeds exhibit double dormancy requiring warm stratification followed by cold stratification. Germination can be slow and erratic, often taking over a year.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI