Holly care — light, water, toxicity and hardiness
Holly (Ilex opaca) wants partial shade and a drink about every 10 days once established. It is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9. It is toxic to pets — worth keeping out of reach.
| scientific name | Ilex opaca |
|---|---|
| family | Aquifoliaceae |
| category | shrub |
| plant type | perennial |
| light | partial shade |
| water cadence days | 10 |
| min zone | 5 |
| max zone | 9 |
| frost tolerant | true |
| toxic to pets | true |
| toxic to humans | true |
| edible | false |
How often should I water Holly?
Keep young plants evenly moist; established hollies are tougher.
Is Holly toxic?
The bright berries are toxic to pets and people if eaten.
Who eats it
Palatable to browsing animals such as deer: low. Palatable to grazing animals: low. Palatable to people: no.
What it needs
Its shade tolerance is low. Its moisture use is medium. Its drought tolerance is medium. It wants at least about 40 inches of rain a year. Above roughly 80 inches of annual rain it struggles. It tolerates soil down to pH 4.5. It tolerates soil up to pH 7.0. Its fertility requirement is medium. Adapted to coarse, sandy soils: yes. Adapted to medium, loamy soils: yes. Adapted to fine, clay soils: no. Its tolerance of waterlogging is low. It needs at least 140 frost-free days. Its salt tolerance is medium. Its tolerance of chalky soil is low. Its fire tolerance is low. Fire resistant: no. It has been recorded down to -20°F. It suppresses neighbours chemically: no.
How it grows
It grows as a single stem form. Its growth rate is slow. Its lifespan is moderate. It puts on most of its growth in spring and summer. It spreads by seed at a slow rate. It resprouts after damage: yes. Coppices: no. Its tolerance of hedging is medium. At maturity it reaches about 40.0 feet. By twenty years it is about 20 feet. Its roots go down at least 30 inches. Its shape is erect. It holds its leaves through winter: yes.
What it looks like
It blooms in mid spring. The flowers are yellow. Conspicuous in flower: no. The foliage is green. The foliage texture is coarse. In summer the canopy is dense in porosity. In winter it is dense in porosity. Fall colour: yes. The fruit or seed is red. Fruit begins in summer. Fruit finishes by fall. It fruits low. The fruit persists on the plant: yes. The fruit is conspicuous: yes.
Growing more of it
Propagated by seed: yes. Propagated by cuttings: yes. Propagated by container: yes. Propagated by bare root: yes. Propagated by bulb: no. Propagated by corm: no. Propagated by tubers: no. Cold stratification required: yes. Seedling vigour is low. Commercial availability: routinely available.
Source: USDA PLANTS Database; US Cooperative Extension horticulture publications · ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List · 2026-09-02