My Deer Garden

Plant record · Vine · Araliaceae

Is English Ivy deer resistant?

Hedera helix

English ivy climbing a wall with lobed evergreen leaves
Photo by kallerna, CC BY-SA 4.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Damage step 3 of 4 · Occasionally Severely Damaged

Partly. Browsed where deer pressure is high. Protect it.

Type
Vine
Hardiness
Zones 4–9
Light
Full shade to part shade
Height
6–787 in
Bloom
Summer and Fall
Maintenance
Low
Family
Araliaceae
Toxic to
cats, dogs, and horses

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

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.

Protecting English Ivy

Whether this survives comes down to local pressure, so decide on the options before it gets browsed rather than after.

  1. 1How tall a deer fence needs to beEight feet, and six is the most common expensive mistake in deer fencing.
  2. 2Repellent that actually worksThe egg-based recipe that reproduces the active ingredient in the commercial sprays that win university trials.
  3. 3Check 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.

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.

Where English Ivy grows

Hardy across every state 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 — 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 — hardy here. Zones 5 to 6.Iowa — 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 — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Maryland — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Massachusetts — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Michigan — hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Minnesota — hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Mississippi — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Missouri — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Montana — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Nebraska — hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Nevada — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.New Hampshire — 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 — hardy here. Zones 3 to 4.Ohio — 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 — 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 — 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 — hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Wyoming — 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 English Ivy

Is English Ivy deer resistant?
English Ivy (Hedera helix) is rated Occasionally Severely Damaged, step 3 of 4 on the damage scale this site uses. 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.

Browse from here

Every list English Ivy belongs to.

All vines·Sometimes destroyed·Shade plants·Evergreen shrubs

Hardy in these zones

Zone 4·Zone 5·Zone 6·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 .