My Deer Garden

Plant record · Groundcover

Is Bearberry deer resistant?

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

Low evergreen bearberry mat with red berries
Photo by Walter Siegmund, CC BY 2.5. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Damage step 1 of 4 · Rarely Damaged

Yes. Deer almost always leave this alone.

Type
Groundcover
Hardiness
Zones 3–7
Light
Full sun
Height
6–12 in
Bloom
Spring
Maintenance
Low
Native range
34 US states

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

About Bearberry

A low evergreen mat for sandy, acid, exposed ground where almost nothing else will root. Slow to establish and worth the wait.

Soil and care

Soil pH
4.5 to 6
Drainage
Sharp, gritty. Will rot in wet soil
Water
Low
Spacing
24 to 35 in apart
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low

Similar to Bearberry

Other groundcovers with the same deer rating.

Where Bearberry grows

Hardy across 48 states on zone range alone, and native to 34 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 — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Alaska — native, and hardy. Zones 1 to 8.Arizona — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 10.Arkansas — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.California — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 10.Colorado — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 6.Connecticut — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Delaware — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 7.District of Columbia — hardy here. Zones 7 to 8.Florida — not hardy here. Zones 8 to 11.Georgia — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Hawaii — not hardy here. Zones 9 to 12.Idaho — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 7.Illinois — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Indiana — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 6.Iowa — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 6.Kansas — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Kentucky — hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.Louisiana — not hardy here. Zones 8 to 10.Maine — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 6.Maryland — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.Massachusetts — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Michigan — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 6.Minnesota — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 5.Mississippi — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Missouri — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Montana — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 6.Nebraska — hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Nevada — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 9.New Hampshire — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 6.New Jersey — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 7.New Mexico — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 9.New York — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 7.North Carolina — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.North Dakota — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 4.Ohio — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 6.Oklahoma — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Oregon — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 9.Pennsylvania — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Rhode Island — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 7.South Carolina — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.South Dakota — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 5.Tennessee — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Texas — hardy here. Zones 6 to 9.Utah — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 9.Vermont — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 5.Virginia — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.Washington — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 8.West Virginia — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Wisconsin — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 5.Wyoming — native, and hardy. 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 Bearberry

Is Bearberry deer resistant?
Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) 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 Bearberry grow in?
Bearberry is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 7. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
Does Bearberry grow in shade?
No. Bearberry wants full sun and will grow thin and flop in shade.
How big does Bearberry get?
Mature height is roughly 6–12 in. Growth rate is slow.

Browse from here

Every list Bearberry belongs to.

All groundcovers·Rarely damaged·Full sun plants

Hardy in these zones

Zone 3·Zone 4·Zone 5·Zone 6·Zone 7

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 .