Is American Plum deer resistant?
Prunus americana
Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
Not listed by Rutgers NJAES. Rated deer-resistant by El Paso County CSU Extension, whose list is a single category, mapped conservatively to Seldom Severely Damaged.
Toxic to cats and dogs if eaten
About American Plum
A thicket rather than a tree unless you keep after it: fragrant white flowers in clusters on bare wood in early spring, then red plums in late summer. Stiff thorn-like side branches are what protect an established plant. Deer do browse the twigs and leaves, so young ones need guarding until the thorns build up. Suckering is what people get wrong. It runs from the roots and builds a dense colony within a few years, which is exactly right if you wanted a hedgerow and a problem if you wanted a specimen. Decide at planting: holding it as a single-stemmed small tree means cutting suckers out every year from the start, and three seasons of leaving it be will settle the question for you. Fifteen to twenty-five feet is the usual size in moist, rich, well-drained loam, occasionally to thirty-five. Black knot takes the wood and plum curculio takes the fruit.
Similar to American Plum
Other trees with the same deer rating.
- Allegheny ServiceberryAmelanchier laevisZones 4–8Seldom damaged
- Austrian PinePinus nigraZones 4–7Seldom damaged
- Chinese Fringe TreeChionanthus retususZones 5–9Seldom damaged
- Chinese Paper BirchBetula albosinensisZones 5–7Seldom damaged
- ChokecherryPrunus virginianaZones 2–6Seldom damaged
- Colorado Blue SprucePicea pungensZones 2–7Seldom damaged
Where American Plum grows
Hardy across most of these 51 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering.
- Pennsylvanianative
- New Jerseynative
- New Yorknative
- Connecticutnative
- Massachusettsnative
- Virginianative
- Marylandnative
- Michigannative
- Wisconsinnative
- Ohionative
- Indiananative
- Illinoisnative
- Minnesotanative
- Missourinative
- North Carolinanative
- Tennesseenative
- Georgianative
- Texas
- Coloradonative
- California
- Oregon
- Washingtonnative
- New Hampshirenative
- Vermontnative
- Mainenative
- Rhode Islandnative
- Delawarenative
- West Virginianative
- Kentuckynative
- South Carolinanative
- Floridanative
- Alabamanative
- Mississippinative
- Louisiananative
- Arkansasnative
- Oklahomanative
- Kansasnative
- Nebraskanative
- Iowanative
- North Dakotanative
- South Dakotanative
- Montananative
- Wyomingnative
- Idaho
- Utahnative
- Nevada
- Arizonanative
- New Mexiconative
- Alaska
- District of Columbianative
- Hawaii
Highlighted states are within its native range according to the USDA PLANTS database, where it is native to 44 US states in total.
Browse from here
Every list American Plum belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about American Plum
- Is American Plum deer resistant?
- American Plum (Prunus americana) is rated Seldom Severely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
- What hardiness zones does American Plum grow in?
- American Plum is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does American Plum grow in shade?
- Yes. American Plum tolerates part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
- How big does American Plum get?
- Mature height is roughly 420–420 in. Growth rate is moderate.
- Is American Plum toxic to dogs or cats?
- Yes. The ASPCA lists American Plum as toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. Site it away from where animals graze, or choose something else if you have a dog that chews.