My Deer Garden

Plant record · Fern

Is Holly Fern deer resistant?

Cyrtomium falcatum

Glossy holly-like fronds of holly fern
Photo by Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Damage step 1 of 4 · Rarely Damaged

Yes. Deer almost always leave this alone.

Type
Fern
Hardiness
Zones 7–10
Light
Full shade to part shade
Height
17–24 in
Maintenance
Low

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

About Holly Fern

Thick glossy fronds that look more like holly than fern, and it holds them all winter in mild areas. One of the toughest ferns for dry shade.

Soil and care

Soil pH
5.5 to 7
Drainage
Consistently moist
Water
Moderate
Spacing
18 to 24 in apart
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low

Similar to Holly Fern

Other ferns with the same deer rating.

Where Holly Fern 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 Holly Fern

Is Holly Fern deer resistant?
Holly Fern (Cyrtomium falcatum) is rated Rarely Damaged, step 1 of 4 on the damage scale this site uses. Deer almost always leave this alone.
What hardiness zones does Holly Fern grow in?
Holly Fern is hardy in USDA zones 7 to 10. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
Does Holly Fern grow in shade?
Yes. Holly Fern tolerates full shade to part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
How big does Holly Fern get?
Mature height is roughly 17–24 in. Growth rate is slow.

Browse from here

Every list Holly Fern belongs to.

All ferns·Rarely damaged·Shade plants

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 .