Is Oregon Grape Holly deer resistant?
Mahonia aquifolium
Plant typeShrubHardinessZones 5–8LightFull shade to part shade
Mature height36–72 in
BloomSpringMaintenanceLow, mostly leave it alone
Native range12 US states
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.
- Arrowwood ViburnumViburnum dentatumZones 2–8Rarely damaged
- BarberryBerberis sp.Zones 4–8, genus rangeRarely damaged
- BayberryMyrica pensylvanicaZones 3–7Rarely damaged
- Blue Mist ShrubCaryopteris clandonensisZones 6–9Rarely damaged
- BoxwoodBuxus sempervirensZones 5–8Rarely damaged
- BroomCytisus sp.Zones 5–8, genus rangeRarely damaged
Where Oregon Grape Holly grows
Hardy across most of these 49 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering.
- Pennsylvania
- New Jerseynative
- New Yorknative
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Virginia
- Maryland
- Michigannative
- Wisconsin
- Ohionative
- Indiana
- Illinois
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- North Carolina
- Tennessee
- Georgianative
- Texas
- Colorado
- Californianative
- Oregonnative
- Washingtonnative
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Maine
- Rhode Island
- Delaware
- West Virginia
- Kentuckynative
- South Carolina
- Florida
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- Louisiana
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- Iowa
- South Dakota
- Montananative
- Wyoming
- Idahonative
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Alaska
- District of Columbianative
Highlighted states are within its native range according to the USDA PLANTS database, where it is native to 12 US states in total.
Browse from here
Every list Oregon Grape Holly belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Oregon Grape Holly
- Is Oregon Grape Holly deer resistant?
- Oregon Grape Holly (Mahonia aquifolium) is rated Rarely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. 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.