Generally — Most Areas
holly (zones 5-11) suits most of Michigan (4a-7a) — zones 5-7 are in range, and the rest of the state is the exception.
Holly in Michigan — the short answer
Holly in Michigan: hardy in zones 5–11, shade, against a state median of ~186 frost-free days.
- Plant zones
- 5-11
- Manual horticultural correction (source not retained); NC State Extension and Missouri Botanical Garden, with the remaining rows from other published sources or Growable Ground compilation
- Michigan zones
- 4a-7a
- USDA PHZM 2023
- Frost window
- Apr 19 - May 8 – Oct 12 - Oct 31
- NOAA RCC ACIS 1991-2020, 28°F
- Shortest county season
- 126 days
- NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020, county 28°F killing freeze
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS and university Extension sources — per-field provenance varies and is published with the dataset.
Your yard isn't the whole zone.
Michigan spans zones 4a-7a, but your yard sits in exactly one — and slope, tree cover, and cold-air pockets nudge it further. Enter your address and we'll score holly against your parcel's actual hardiness, soil, and sun.
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Michigan is not one climate
Michigan’s winter-low ladder runs across 83 counties, from zone 4 in Gogebic County to zone 7 in Allegan County. That is 30°F between the two counties’ average coldest night — the difference between holly overwintering in the ground and coming under cover.
The middle half of 83 counties runs 5–6 zones, with a median of 6 zones — a 3-zone span end to end.
Measured across 83 Michigan counties. USDA PHZM 2023, per county. Quartiles are order statistics — every figure shown is a value a real county recorded, not an interpolation. Your own site sits somewhere inside this range; a parcel report resolves where.
Where in Michigan Fits Best
Holly is rated for zones 5–11 — a cold floor USDA puts at -20 to -10°F. Against Michigan’s 83 counties that band holds in 78 of them, and the line runs at Cheboygan County (zone 5a), the coldest county still inside it.
Inside zones 5–11
78 counties
- Clare County · zone 5a
- Crawford County · zone 5a
- Delta County · zone 5a
3 of 78 shown
Below the zone 5 floor
5 counties
- Gogebic County · zone 4a
- Iron County · zone 4a
- Baraga County · zone 4b
3 of 5 shown
Winter cold is the limit here — the same plant works in a container that comes under cover.
County hardiness zones: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) 2023, per county. A zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme minimum temperature, so the floor above is the band the plant's rating denotes, not a single measured kill point. Slope, shelter and cold-air drainage routinely move a site half a zone either way from its county figure — which is the part only your address resolves.
Even within Michigan's zones 4a-7a, county microclimates differ enough to change what thrives. These counties carry the closest zone match for holly (USDA PHZM 2023):
Zone Comparison
Holly Needs
- USDA Zones: 5-11
- Sun: Shade
- Mature size: 30 ft tall
- Drought tolerance: Medium
Michigan Has
- USDA Zones: 4a-7a
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 19 - May 8
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 12 - Oct 31
- Annual Rainfall: 28-38 inches
- Common Soils: Sandy loam, Clay loam, Muck
Plant Zone Range (zones 5-11)
Preferred Soil pH
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS, and university Extension sources — per-field provenance varies and is published with the dataset. State data: USDA ARS PHZM 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NRCS SSURGO.
When to Plant Holly in Michigan
The frost window
Across Michigan, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 19 and May 8, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 12 and Oct 31 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 157-day window you can count on — up to 195 days on a mild site in a kind year. That marks the hard freeze, not the last light frost, so tender transplants usually wait another 2-3 weeks.
Winter standing
Michigan runs as cold as USDA zone 4, and no sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for holly, so this page does not state whether it overwinters here — and gives no fall establishment date on the strength of a guess. Whether holly is a permanent planting or a replant-every-spring crop for you turns on your own zone within Michigan; check its hardiness range against that before treating it as long-lived ground.
Timing tuned to sub-state frost dates — Luce County, not the statewide average.
Frost window: NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020. Plant timing fields: Growable Ground Plant Database — frost-free days from FAO ECOCROP, days to harvest from university Extension production guides, and growing-degree-day and chill-hour minimums that are compilation estimates rather than published figures. Your site's own frost dates can run earlier or later than the state range — a parcel report pins them down.
Growing Season Fit
The zone check says holly survives winter in part of Michigan, not across all of it. Whether the season is long enough — and warm enough — is a different question.
Chill hours
Holly requires ~400 chill hours (32-45°F dormancy window). Michigan typically banks ~2500 chill hours per winter (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), which keeps this plant on track.
GDD and chill-hour figures are computed from PRISM 1991-2020 monthly climate normals; frost-free days from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020. Each is the state median across its counties (P25/P75 span the within-state spread). Hardiness-zone range is USDA PHZM 2023.
Soil + Drainage Fit
Holly likes near-neutral soil (pH 4.5-7). That's the common-ground band across Michigan's sandy loam and clay loam — a soil test confirms it for your site. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your Michigan site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, raised beds or amendment with compost solve it.
Your land, not the state average
Michigan's soils run mostly sand, but SSURGO maps the series, texture, and drainage under your exact parcel. What matters for holly is the horizon its roots actually work, not the surface. That map unit, not the state average, decides how holly performs.
Check your parcel → Source: USDA NRCS SSURGO.
Plant pH requirements: FAO ECOCROP and USDA PLANTS, with the remaining rows from other published sources or Growable Ground compilation. Drainage: FAO ECOCROP, with the remaining rows from other published sources or Growable Ground compilation. Michigan soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
What Else to Consider for Holly in Michigan
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but Michigan growers also need to think about:
Lake effect weather creates highly localized microclimates
Short northern season (100-120 frost-free days in UP)
Sandy soils in western MI drain too quickly
Growing holly here specifically
Michigan's soils run mostly sand (Alfisols), and whether that suits holly's pH 4.5–7.0 preference comes down to your exact parcel, not the statewide picture.
Pull your parcel's SSURGO map unit, test pH, and amend toward holly's 4.5–7.0 target before planting. How to handle it →
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Michigan grower, not just holly — is covered on the Michigan growing guide.
Timing shifts within Michigan
Michigan isn't one climate. In Luce County, the last hard freeze (28°F) holds until about May 22 — roughly 27 days later than the recorded state median — so plant holly to your county's window, not the statewide date.
County last-freeze dates: NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS (1991-2020), county 28°F freeze (earlier than the folk 32°F "last frost"). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.
Where in Michigan Holly Is Zone-Hardy
Holly is rated for USDA zones 5–11. 78 of Michigan’s 83 counties fall inside that band. The coldest that does is Cheboygan County at zone 5a. 5 counties sit below the plant’s zone 5 floor, where an unprotected plant is relying on snow cover and a mild year. Where you are in Michigan decides this one.
Across those 83 counties Michigan’s winter-low ladder runs from zone 4a in Gogebic County to zone 7a in Allegan County — 3 USDA zones of spread, which is 30°F between the two counties’ average coldest night of the year. That is why a statewide hardiness answer is where you start and not where you finish.
The planting window moves with it. Luce County holds its last hard freeze (28°F) until about May 22, while Berrien County is clear by Apr 6 — 46 days apart. Set holly out on your county’s date, not the state’s.
County hardiness zones: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) 2023, per county. County last-freeze dates: NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS (1991-2020), county 28°F killing freeze — earlier than the folk 32°F "last frost". Holly’s zone 5–11 band: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database. A parcel report resolves your address’s own zone and frost dates rather than its county’s.
Pollinator + Wildlife Value
Holly draws honeybees and native bees (moderate value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, holly can only work that bloom inside Michigan's frost window — roughly 186 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Apr 19 - May 8) and closing at the first (Oct 12 - Oct 31), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020.
Good to Know Before You Plant Holly
Holly is listed as toxic to dogs, cats (berries) at a mild level (ASPCA). Most listed plants only cause brief upset — a raised bed or a fenced corner usually keeps curious pets clear.
Michigan Cooperative Extension
For Michigan-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for holly, the canonical source is MSU Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Holly native to Michigan?
Holly is native to parts of the Lower 48, but the USDA PLANTS Database (accessed 2026-07-01) does not document a native range in Michigan. It can still earn a place in a Michigan garden — the zone comparison above tells you whether it will thrive.
Looking for plants that belong here? The Michigan growing guide lists USDA-documented natives for the state.
Native-range data: USDA PLANTS Database state-distribution records, accessed 2026-07-01.
Common Questions About Growing Holly in Michigan
When can I plant Holly in Michigan?
Michigan's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Apr 19 and May 8, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 12 and Oct 31 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). No sourced winter-hardiness floor is on record for Holly, so this page does not state whether it overwinters in Michigan and publishes no fall establishment date for it — check its hardiness range against your own zone before treating it as a permanent planting.
What hardiness zone is Holly grown in across Michigan?
Michigan spans USDA hardiness zones 4a-7a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Holly carries a range of zones 5-11, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical Michigan site have?
A typical Michigan site sees ~186 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Holly should be matched against that window, so check whether your local microclimate runs above or below the state average before settling on a planting date. In cooler counties like Luce, the freeze-free season runs shorter than the state average, so verify your own county's window.
Is Holly native to Michigan?
Holly is native to parts of the Lower 48, but the USDA PLANTS Database (accessed 2026-07-01) does not document a native range in Michigan. It can still earn a place in a Michigan garden — the zone comparison above tells you whether it will thrive.
How should I amend the soil for Holly in Michigan?
Holly prefers pH 4.5-7 and well (dry spells) drainage (USDA PLANTS). That sits in the common-ground band across Michigan soils — a 30-minute soil test from a local Extension lab confirms it for your specific site.
Will Holly actually grow on my specific land in Michigan?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores holly against your address's exact soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost-date data drawn from USDA SSURGO, NOAA, and PRISM — not state averages.
Check your specific parcel in Michigan
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores holly against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that Michigan holly averages can't show:
We read public map data around Michigan — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources read at your address, not the Michigan holly average
Explore More
Growing guides for holly
Analysis by the Growable Ground research team, grounded in USDA PLANTS, USDA NRCS SSURGO, NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020), and named Cooperative Extension sources. How we know →
Cite this dataset
Kirchick, M. (2026). Growable Ground Plant Database [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21435643
Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. DOI 10.5281/zenodo.21435643
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