My Deer Garden

Plant record · Groundcover

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.
Damage step 1 of 4 · Rarely Damaged

Yes. Deer almost always leave this alone.

Type
Groundcover
Hardiness
Zones 5–9
Light
Full shade to part shade
Height
6–12 in
Bloom
Spring
Maintenance
Low
Native range
13 US states

Damage steps follow a published university field scale. How plants are rated.

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.

Alabama — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 9.Alaska — hardy here. Zones 1 to 8.Arizona — hardy here. Zones 5 to 10.Arkansas — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.California — hardy here. Zones 7 to 10.Colorado — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Connecticut — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Delaware — hardy here. Zones 7 to 7.District of Columbia — hardy here. Zones 7 to 8.Florida — native, and hardy. Zones 8 to 11.Georgia — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 9.Hawaii — hardy here. Zones 9 to 12.Idaho — hardy here. Zones 3 to 7.Illinois — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Indiana — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 6.Iowa — hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Kansas — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Kentucky — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 7.Louisiana — native, and hardy. Zones 8 to 10.Maine — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Maryland — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Massachusetts — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Michigan — hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Minnesota — hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Mississippi — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 9.Missouri — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Montana — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Nebraska — hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Nevada — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.New Hampshire — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.New Jersey — hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.New Mexico — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.New York — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 7.North Carolina — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.North Dakota — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 4.Ohio — hardy here. Zones 5 to 6.Oklahoma — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Oregon — hardy here. Zones 6 to 9.Pennsylvania — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Rhode Island — hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.South Carolina — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 9.South Dakota — hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Tennessee — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.Texas — hardy here. Zones 6 to 9.Utah — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.Vermont — hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Virginia — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Washington — hardy here. Zones 5 to 8.West Virginia — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Wisconsin — hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Wyoming — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.
Native and hardyHardy on zone rangeNot hardy — still linked
Choose a state from the listeasier on a phone

Common questions about Allegheny Spurge

Is Allegheny Spurge deer resistant?
Allegheny Spurge (Pachysandra procumbens) is rated Rarely Damaged, step 1 of 4 on the damage scale this site uses. 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.

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Every list Allegheny Spurge belongs to.

All groundcovers·Rarely damaged·Shade plants

Hardy in these zones

Zone 5·Zone 6·Zone 7·Zone 8·Zone 9

Damage ratings follow the four-step field scale published by Rutgers University. Growing data is compiled from state extension sources and still being verified record by record. Last reviewed .