Is English Holly deer resistant?
Ilex aquifolium
Plant typeShrubHardinessZones 7–8LightPart shade
Mature height360–600 in
BloomSpringMaintenanceModerate
Toxic to cats and dogs if eaten
About English Holly
The classic Christmas holly. Needs a male plant nearby for berries, and it has become invasive in the Pacific Northwest, where it seeds into native forest.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 5.5 to 7
- Drainage
- Well drained
- Water
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 94 to 142 in apart
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Maintenance
- Moderate
Tolerances and uses
- Evergreen
Similar to English Holly
Other shrubs with the same deer rating.
- Antelope BitterbrushPurshia tridentataSeldom damaged
- Anthony Waterer SpireaSpiraea x bumaldaZones 3–8Seldom damaged
- Apache PlumeFallugia paradoxaZones 6–10Seldom damaged
- Armstrong JuniperJuniperus chinensis 'Armstrongii'Zones 4–9Seldom damaged
- Autumn OliveElaeagnus umbellataZones 4–9Seldom damaged
- Autumn SageSalvia greggiiZones 6–9Seldom damaged
Where English Holly grows
Hardy across most of these 35 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering.
- Pennsylvania
- New Jersey
- New York
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Virginia
- Maryland
- Illinois
- Missouri
- North Carolina
- Tennessee
- Georgia
- Texas
- California
- Oregon
- Washington
- Rhode Island
- Delaware
- West Virginia
- Kentucky
- South Carolina
- Florida
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- Louisiana
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma
- Kansas
- Idaho
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Alaska
- District of Columbia
Browse from here
Every list English Holly belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about English Holly
- Is English Holly deer resistant?
- English Holly (Ilex aquifolium) is rated Seldom Severely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
- What hardiness zones does English Holly grow in?
- English Holly is hardy in USDA zones 7 to 8. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does English Holly grow in shade?
- Yes. English Holly tolerates part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
- How big does English Holly get?
- Mature height is roughly 360–600 in. Growth rate is slow.
- Is English Holly toxic to dogs or cats?
- Yes. The ASPCA lists English 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.