My Deer Garden

Is Allegheny Spurge deer resistant?

Pachysandra procumbens

Allegheny spurge with mottled semi-evergreen leaves
Photo by Derek Ramsey, CC BY-SA 2.5. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Rarely damaged

Deer almost always leave this alone.

Rating source: Rutgers NJAES E271

About Allegheny Spurge

The native alternative to Japanese pachysandra. Mottled semi-evergreen leaves, and it clumps rather than running, so it will not escape into woodland the way its Asian cousin does.

Soil and care

Soil pH
5 to 6.5
Drainage
Consistently moist
Water
Moderate
Spacing
12 to 18 in apart
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low

Similar to Allegheny Spurge

Other groundcovers with the same deer rating.

Where Allegheny Spurge grows

Hardy across 50 states on zone range alone, and native to 13 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.

Native and hardyHardy on zone rangeNot hardy — still linked
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Every list Allegheny Spurge belongs to.

Hardy in these zones

Common questions about Allegheny Spurge

Is Allegheny Spurge deer resistant?
Allegheny Spurge (Pachysandra procumbens) is rated Rarely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Deer almost always leave this alone.
What hardiness zones does Allegheny Spurge grow in?
Allegheny Spurge is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
Does Allegheny Spurge grow in shade?
Yes. Allegheny Spurge tolerates full shade to part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
How big does Allegheny Spurge get?
Mature height is roughly 6–12 in. Growth rate is slow.