Is Bearberry deer resistant?
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Plant typeGroundcoverHardinessZones 3–7LightFull sunMature height6–12 inBloomSpring
MaintenanceLow, mostly leave it alone
Native range34 US states
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.
- Allegheny SpurgePachysandra procumbensZones 5–9Rarely damaged
- BarrenwortEpimedium sp.Zones 4–8, genus rangeRarely damaged
- Bishop's WeedAegopodium podagrariaZones 3–10Rarely damaged
- BugleweedAjuga reptansZones 3–10Rarely damaged
- Lily of the ValleyConvallaria majalisZones 3–7Rarely damaged
- PachysandraPachysandra terminalisZones 4–9Rarely damaged
Where Bearberry grows
Hardy across most of these 48 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
- Missouri
- North Carolina
- Tennessee
- Georgia
- Texas
- Coloradonative
- Californianative
- Oregonnative
- Washingtonnative
- New Hampshirenative
- Vermontnative
- Mainenative
- Rhode Islandnative
- Delawarenative
- West Virginianative
- Kentucky
- South Carolina
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- Iowanative
- North Dakotanative
- South Dakotanative
- Montananative
- Wyomingnative
- Idahonative
- Utahnative
- Nevadanative
- Arizonanative
- New Mexiconative
- Alaskanative
- District of Columbia
Highlighted states are within its native range according to the USDA PLANTS database, where it is native to 34 US states in total.
Browse from here
Every list Bearberry belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Bearberry
- Is Bearberry deer resistant?
- Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) is rated Rarely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. 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.