Is American Holly deer resistant?
Ilex opaca
Plant typeTreeHardinessZones 5–9LightPart shade
Mature height480–720 in
BloomSpring and SummerMaintenanceLow, mostly leave it alone
Native range27 US states
Toxic to cats and dogs if eaten
About American Holly
Spiny evergreen leaves deer will not chew. You need a male plant within range for the female to set berries, which is the detail most people miss when they buy one.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 5 to 6.5
- Drainage
- Well drained
- Water
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 94 to 142 in apart
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Maintenance
- Low
Tolerances and uses
- Evergreen
Similar to American Holly
Other trees with the same deer rating.
- Bottlebrush BuckeyeAesculus parvifloraZones 5–9Rarely damaged
- Dwarf Alberta SprucePicea glauca 'Conica'Zones 2–6Rarely damaged
- Japanese Black PinePinus thunbergianaZones 5–8Rarely damaged
- Katsura TreeCercidiphyllum japonicumZones 4–8Rarely damaged
- MimosaAlbizia julibrissinZones 6–9Rarely damaged
- Paper BirchBetula papyriferaZones 2–7Rarely damaged
Where American Holly grows
Hardy across most of these 50 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering.
- Pennsylvanianative
- New Jerseynative
- New Yorknative
- Connecticutnative
- Massachusettsnative
- Virginianative
- Marylandnative
- Michigan
- Wisconsin
- Ohionative
- Indiananative
- Illinoisnative
- Minnesota
- Missourinative
- North Carolinanative
- Tennesseenative
- Georgianative
- Texasnative
- Colorado
- California
- Oregon
- Washington
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Maine
- Rhode Islandnative
- Delawarenative
- West Virginianative
- Kentuckynative
- South Carolinanative
- Floridanative
- Alabamanative
- Mississippinative
- Louisiananative
- Arkansasnative
- Oklahomanative
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- Iowa
- South Dakota
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Alaska
- District of Columbianative
- Hawaii
Highlighted states are within its native range according to the USDA PLANTS database, where it is native to 27 US states in total.
Browse from here
Every list American Holly belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about American Holly
- Is American Holly deer resistant?
- American Holly (Ilex opaca) is rated Rarely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Deer almost always leave this alone.
- What hardiness zones does American Holly grow in?
- American Holly is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does American Holly grow in shade?
- Yes. American Holly tolerates part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
- How big does American Holly get?
- Mature height is roughly 480–720 in. Growth rate is slow.
- Is American Holly toxic to dogs or cats?
- Yes. The ASPCA lists American Holly as toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. Site it away from where animals graze, or choose something else if you have a dog that chews.