My Deer Garden

Plant record · Shrub

Is Winterberry Holly deer resistant?

Ilex verticillata

Dense red berries on bare winterberry stems
Photo by SB Johnny, CC BY-SA 3.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Damage step 2 of 4 · Seldom Severely Damaged

Mostly. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.

Type
Shrub
Hardiness
Zones 3–9
Light
Part shade
Height
36–180 in
Bloom
Spring
Maintenance
Low
Native range
33 US states
Toxic to
dogs, cats, and horses

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

About Winterberry Holly

A deciduous holly, so the leaves drop and leave bare stems packed with scarlet berries, which is far more striking than berries among evergreen leaves. You must plant a male within about fifty feet, and it needs to be one that flowers at the same time. Thrives in wet acid soil.

Soil and care

Soil pH
4.5 to 6
Drainage
Tolerates wet feet
Water
High
Spacing
47 to 94 in apart
Growth rate
Moderate
Maintenance
Low

Similar to Winterberry Holly

Other shrubs with the same deer rating.

Where Winterberry Holly grows

Hardy across every state on zone range alone, and native to 33 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 — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 9.Alaska — hardy here. Zones 1 to 8.Arizona — hardy here. Zones 5 to 10.Arkansas — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.California — hardy here. Zones 7 to 10.Colorado — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Connecticut — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Delaware — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 7.District of Columbia — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 8.Florida — native, and hardy. Zones 8 to 11.Georgia — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 9.Hawaii — hardy here. Zones 9 to 12.Idaho — hardy here. Zones 3 to 7.Illinois — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Indiana — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 6.Iowa — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 6.Kansas — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Kentucky — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 7.Louisiana — native, and hardy. Zones 8 to 10.Maine — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 6.Maryland — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.Massachusetts — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Michigan — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 6.Minnesota — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 5.Mississippi — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 9.Missouri — native, and hardy. 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 — native, and hardy. 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 — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.North Dakota — hardy here. Zones 3 to 4.Ohio — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 6.Oklahoma — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Oregon — hardy here. Zones 6 to 9.Pennsylvania — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Rhode Island — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 7.South Carolina — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 9.South Dakota — hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Tennessee — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.Texas — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 9.Utah — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.Vermont — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 5.Virginia — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.Washington — hardy here. Zones 5 to 8.West Virginia — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Wisconsin — native, and hardy. 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 Winterberry Holly

Is Winterberry Holly deer resistant?
Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata) is rated Seldom Severely Damaged, step 2 of 4 on the damage scale this site uses. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
What hardiness zones does Winterberry Holly grow in?
Winterberry Holly is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
Does Winterberry Holly grow in shade?
Yes. Winterberry Holly tolerates part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
How big does Winterberry Holly get?
Mature height is roughly 36–180 in. Growth rate is moderate.
Is Winterberry Holly toxic to dogs or cats?
Yes. The ASPCA lists Winterberry Holly as toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. Site it away from where animals graze, or choose something else if you have a dog that chews.

Browse from here

Every list Winterberry Holly belongs to.

All shrubs·Seldom damaged·Part shade plants

Hardy in these zones

Zone 3·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 .