Holly is a tree, a long-term addition to the landscape. It's hardy across USDA zones 5 through 11 and shrugs off deer. Its mid spring flowers are a moderate draw for honeybees and native bees.
Holly — the short answer
Holly: grown in zones 5–11, shade, pH 4.5–7.
- USDA zones
- 5–11
- Hardy to zone 5a — NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; USDA PLANTS Database (-20 °F, converted).
- Soil pH
- 4.5–7
- USDA PLANTS
- Sun
- Shade
- Growable Ground Plant Database
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS and university Extension sources — each tile names its own row's source, because per-field provenance varies.
Score Holly on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether holly actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score holly against your land's real conditions.
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What Holly is
Holly grows as a perennial and reaches around 30 feet at maturity. It blooms yellow in mid spring. It's also deer-resistant.
How to grow Holly
Holly grows in USDA zones 5 through 11. Holly does best in shade — at least 2 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 4.5 to 7, on well-drained ground.
USDA Zones
5-11
Rated hardy to zone 5a by NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; USDA PLANTS Database lists -20 °F, converted to zone 5a, checked Oct 2026. Ceiling: our plant database.
Soil pH
4.5 - 7
USDA PLANTS
Sun
Shade
Growable Ground plant catalog
Drainage
well (dry spells)
Growable Ground plant catalog
Cold Hardiness
-20°F
The coldest temperature this plant is documented to survive.
USDA PLANTS
Mature Height
30 ft
Growable Ground plant catalog
Plant it right
Set holly in shade with well-drained soil.
Match the soil
Holly prefers pH 4.5 to 7 (USDA PLANTS). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Shape it while it is young
Prune holly only to remove dead, damaged or crossing branches while it is young; it is grown for its form, not a harvest, so little more is needed once it settles in.
Where Holly thrives
Holly is hardy across USDA zones 5 through 11. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
A USDA zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme winter minimum, so zones 5–11 spans average winter lows from -20°F to 50°F (USDA PHZM 2023). Across the 50 states and DC, that band covers 29 outright and splits 21 more down the middle — and which side of that line your land sits on changes the answer.
Zones 5–11·Where Holly growsOpen map →
This map is derived from the USDA ARS / PRISM Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023) and is not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
Where Holly stands, state by state
Holly is rated for zones 5–11 — a cold floor USDA puts at -20 to -10°F. Across the 50 states and DC, 29 sit fully inside that band, the line runs through 21 more, and 1 sits outside it — and inside every split state, the same line runs on at county grain.
Fully inside zones 5–11
29 states
3 of 29 shown
The line runs through
21 states
3 of 21 shown
Holly’s band covers part of each of these states — which side of the line your county sits on changes the answer, and each state page draws it.
Outside zones 5–11
1 state
- North Dakota · zones 3b-4b
Winter cold is the limit here — the same plant often works in a container that comes under cover. Each link is that state’s own growing hub.
State zone extents: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) 2023. A zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme minimum temperature, so a state that splits the band contains the boundary — its own page draws the county line, and a parcel report resolves which side your land sits on.
What grows around Holly
Growing guides for holly
Related plants in shrub
Good to know
One caution for pet owners — holly is toxic to dogs and cats (mild severity). Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)
Holly offers moderate value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.)
Your land is one point inside Holly's range
This page resolves to the species. Your state page draws the county line, and a report reads the parcel — the soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates on your exact ground, which no species average can see.
See if Holly will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether holly actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources analyzed in seconds
How we know this about Holly
The figures above are cited per row, not per site: the pH band names this plant’s own source column, the three temperature figures each carry their own, and days-to-maturity cites the publication that actually lists it. All of it comes from the Growable Ground Plant Database — a compilation over FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS, and university Extension sources, published openly with per-field provenance.
Grounded inUSDA PLANTS Database•ASPCA
Frequently asked questions
Can I grow Holly in my zone?
Holly grows in USDA hardiness zones 5 through 11 (Rated hardy to zone 5a by NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; USDA PLANTS Database lists -20 °F, converted to zone 5a, checked Oct 2026. Ceiling: our plant database.). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Holly?
Set holly out in early spring or fall while it's dormant, so the roots establish before the heat of summer. Your local last-frost date — which a Growable Ground report pulls for your exact address — sets the precise window.
How much sun does Holly need?
Holly is shade-tolerant — it gets by on as little as 2 hours of direct sun, so it earns a place most vegetables can't use. A north-facing strip or the ground under a leafy canopy is right where it belongs. A Growable Ground report shows which corners of your land stay shaded through the day, turning those dim spots into planting spots.
What soil does Holly need?
Holly prefers soil pH 4.5 to 7, on well-drained ground (USDA PLANTS). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Holly attract pollinators?
Yes — holly's flowers are a solid nectar source for honeybees and native bees. (Source: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.)
Is Holly safe for pets?
Holly is toxic to dogs and cats with mild severity. Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)
Keep exploring Holly
Holly state by state
Every state holly's zone reaches — 30 link straight to that state's holly growing page; the rest open the state's full growing guide.