Is English Ivy deer resistant?
Hedera helix
Browsed where deer pressure is high. Protect it.
Rating source: Rutgers NJAES E271
Toxic to cats and dogs if eaten
About English Ivy
Winter browsing when other food runs out, and largely ignored the rest of the year. That is the least important thing about this plant. English ivy is invasive across much of the United States and is listed in more than a dozen states. It escapes gardens into woodland, forms a mat that stops tree seedlings regenerating, and climbs mature trees until the added weight and sail area bring them down in a storm. It also changes form once it climbs. Ivy that reaches light produces adult growth that flowers and fruits, and birds spread the seed well beyond the garden. Keeping it off vertical surfaces keeps it sterile. If you want an evergreen shade groundcover without this, Allegheny spurge and Siberian cypress both work and neither runs.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 6 to 7.5
- Drainage
- Average garden soil
- Water
- Moderate
- Fertility
- Low
- Spacing
- 18 to 35 in apart
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Maintenance
- Low
Tolerances and uses
- Drought
- Moderate
- Salt
- Moderate
- Pollinators
- Low
- Evergreen
- Containers
- Erosion control
What to plant it with
Keep apart from
- Boxwood
Ivy climbs into shrubs and shades them out. Keep it well away from anything you want to keep.
Similar to English Ivy
Other vines with the same deer rating.
- ClematisClematis sp.Zones 4–9, genus rangeOccasionally damaged
- Climbing HydrangeaHydrangea anomala petiolarisZones 4–8Occasionally damaged
- Goldflame HoneysuckleLonicera x heckrottiiZones 5–9Occasionally damaged
- Trumpet CreeperCampsis radicansZones 4–10Occasionally damaged
- Virginia CreeperParthenocissus quinquefoliaZones 3–10Occasionally damaged
Protecting English Ivy
Whether this survives comes down to local pressure, so it is worth knowing the options before it gets browsed rather than after.
- How tall a deer fence needs to beEight feet, and six is the most common expensive mistake in deer fencing.
- Repellent that actually worksThe egg-based recipe that reproduces the active ingredient in the commercial sprays that win university trials.
- Check it is actually deerDeer tear and leave a ragged stub. A clean 45-degree cut is rabbits, and slug holes get blamed on deer constantly.
Where English Ivy grows
Hardy across most of these 51 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
- Michigan
- Wisconsin
- Ohio
- Indiana
- Illinois
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- North Carolina
- Tennessee
- Georgia
- Texas
- Colorado
- California
- Oregon
- Washington
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Maine
- Rhode Island
- Delaware
- West Virginia
- Kentucky
- South Carolina
- Florida
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- Louisiana
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- Iowa
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Alaska
- District of Columbia
- Hawaii
Browse from here
Every list English Ivy belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about English Ivy
- Is English Ivy deer resistant?
- English Ivy (Hedera helix) is rated Occasionally Severely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Browsed where deer pressure is high. Protect it.
- What hardiness zones does English Ivy grow in?
- English Ivy is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does English Ivy grow in shade?
- Yes. English Ivy tolerates full shade to part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
- How big does English Ivy get?
- Mature height is roughly 6–787 in. Growth rate is fast.
- Is English Ivy toxic to dogs or cats?
- Yes. The ASPCA lists English Ivy as toxic to cats, dogs, and horses. Site it away from where animals graze, or choose something else if you have a dog that chews.
- Is English Ivy invasive?
- English Ivy is listed as invasive or restricted in OR, WA, MD, VA, NC, SC, GA, KY, TN, AL, MS, FL, CA. Deer leaving it alone is not a reason to plant it. Check your own state before buying.