My Deer Garden

Plant record · Shrub

Is Chinese Holly deer resistant?

Ilex cornuta

Spiny Chinese holly leaves and red berries
Photo by Casliber, CC BY-SA 3.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Damage step 2 of 4 · Seldom Severely Damaged

Mostly. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.

Type
Shrub
Hardiness
Zones 7–9
Light
Full sun
Height
96–180 in
Bloom
Spring
Maintenance
Low
Toxic to
dogs, cats, and horses

Damage steps follow a published university field scale. How plants are rated.

About Chinese Holly

Fiercely spined leaves and large red berries, and it sets fruit without a male nearby, unlike most hollies. Better in southern heat than English holly.

Soil and care

Soil pH
5.5 to 7
Drainage
Well drained
Water
Moderate
Spacing
71 to 94 in apart
Growth rate
Moderate
Maintenance
Low

Tolerances and uses

Evergreen

Similar to Chinese Holly

Other shrubs with the same deer rating.

Where Chinese Holly grows

Hardy across 36 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering. Select any state, including one it will not grow in, for what is resistant there.

Alabama — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Alaska — hardy here. Zones 1 to 8.Arizona — hardy here. Zones 5 to 10.Arkansas — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.California — hardy here. Zones 7 to 10.Colorado — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Connecticut — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Delaware — hardy here. Zones 7 to 7.District of Columbia — hardy here. Zones 7 to 8.Florida — hardy here. Zones 8 to 11.Georgia — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Hawaii — hardy here. Zones 9 to 12.Idaho — hardy here. Zones 3 to 7.Illinois — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Indiana — not hardy here. Zones 5 to 6.Iowa — not hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Kansas — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Kentucky — hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.Louisiana — hardy here. Zones 8 to 10.Maine — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Maryland — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Massachusetts — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Michigan — not hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Minnesota — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Mississippi — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Missouri — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Montana — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Nebraska — not hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Nevada — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.New Hampshire — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.New Jersey — hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.New Mexico — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.New York — hardy here. Zones 4 to 7.North Carolina — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.North Dakota — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 4.Ohio — not hardy here. Zones 5 to 6.Oklahoma — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Oregon — hardy here. Zones 6 to 9.Pennsylvania — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Rhode Island — hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.South Carolina — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.South Dakota — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Tennessee — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Texas — hardy here. Zones 6 to 9.Utah — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.Vermont — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Virginia — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Washington — hardy here. Zones 5 to 8.West Virginia — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Wisconsin — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Wyoming — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.
Hardy on zone rangeNot hardy — still linked
Choose a state from the listeasier on a phone

Common questions about Chinese Holly

Is Chinese Holly deer resistant?
Chinese Holly (Ilex cornuta) is rated Seldom Severely Damaged, step 2 of 4 on the damage scale this site uses. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
What hardiness zones does Chinese Holly grow in?
Chinese Holly is hardy in USDA zones 7 to 9. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
Does Chinese Holly grow in shade?
No. Chinese Holly wants full sun and will grow thin and flop in shade.
How big does Chinese Holly get?
Mature height is roughly 96–180 in. Growth rate is moderate.
Is Chinese Holly toxic to dogs or cats?
Yes. The ASPCA lists Chinese 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.

Browse from here

Every list Chinese Holly belongs to.

All shrubs·Seldom damaged·Full sun plants·Evergreen shrubs

Hardy in these zones

Zone 7·Zone 8·Zone 9

Damage ratings follow the four-step field scale published by Rutgers University. Growing data is compiled from state extension sources and still being verified record by record. Last reviewed .