Hi Barbara,

Winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata) is generally not a plant favored by deer for eating. However, it is not deer proof. If they are very hungry, they will eat it.

If you choose to plant winterberry holly, I would recommend caging it until it is well established (a few years). My experience is that bucks like to rub on it and I have seen plants destroyed by them rubbing and breaking all of the branches to the ground. An established plant can come back from the roots, but a newly planted shrub will more likely die. 

I don't think deer would treat the dwarf varieties of plant any differently. They will simply not grow as tall in the long run.