My Deer Garden

Plant record · Shrub

Is Oregon Grape Holly deer resistant?

Mahonia aquifolium

Glossy spiny leaves and yellow flowers of Oregon grape
Photo by Meggar, CC BY-SA 3.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Damage step 1 of 4 · Rarely Damaged

Yes. Deer almost always leave this alone.

Type
Shrub
Hardiness
Zones 5–8
Light
Full shade to part shade
Height
36–72 in
Bloom
Spring
Maintenance
Low
Native range
12 US states

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

About Oregon Grape Holly

Spiny evergreen leaves, yellow spring flowers and edible blue-black berries. Tolerates dry shade under trees, which very few evergreen shrubs manage.

Soil and care

Soil pH
5 to 6.5
Drainage
Well drained
Water
Moderate
Spacing
47 to 71 in apart
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low

Tolerances and uses

Evergreen

Similar to Oregon Grape Holly

Other shrubs with the same deer rating.

Where Oregon Grape Holly grows

Hardy across 49 states on zone range alone, and native to 12 of them. 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 — native, and hardy. 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 — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 8.Florida — hardy here. Zones 8 to 11.Georgia — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 9.Hawaii — not hardy here. Zones 9 to 12.Idaho — native, and hardy. 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 — native, and hardy. 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 — native, and hardy. 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 — native, and hardy. 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 — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 7.New Mexico — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.New York — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 7.North Carolina — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.North Dakota — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 4.Ohio — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 6.Oklahoma — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Oregon — native, and hardy. 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 — native, and hardy. 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.
Native and hardyHardy on zone rangeNot hardy — still linked
Choose a state from the listeasier on a phone

Common questions about Oregon Grape Holly

Is Oregon Grape Holly deer resistant?
Oregon Grape Holly (Mahonia aquifolium) 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 Oregon Grape Holly grow in?
Oregon Grape Holly is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 8. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
Does Oregon Grape Holly grow in shade?
Yes. Oregon Grape Holly tolerates full shade to part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
How big does Oregon Grape Holly get?
Mature height is roughly 36–72 in. Growth rate is slow.

Browse from here

Every list Oregon Grape Holly belongs to.

All shrubs·Rarely damaged·Shade plants·Evergreen shrubs

Hardy in these zones

Zone 5·Zone 6·Zone 7·Zone 8

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 .