Is Buckthorn deer resistant?
Rhamnus sp.
Plant typeShrubHardinessZones 3–7, genus rangeLightPart shade
MaintenanceHigh, wants regular attention
About Buckthorn
Rutgers rates it deer-resistant, and it is also one of the most damaging invasive shrubs in the northern United States. Banned in several states. This is a plant to identify and remove, not to buy.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 6 to 7.5
- Drainage
- Average garden soil
- Water
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 71 to 118 in apart
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Maintenance
- High
Similar to Buckthorn
Other shrubs with the same deer rating.
- Antelope BitterbrushPurshia tridentataSeldom damaged
- Anthony Waterer SpireaSpiraea x bumaldaZones 3–8Seldom damaged
- Apache PlumeFallugia paradoxaZones 6–10Seldom damaged
- Armstrong JuniperJuniperus chinensis 'Armstrongii'Zones 4–9Seldom damaged
- Autumn OliveElaeagnus umbellataZones 4–9Seldom damaged
- Autumn SageSalvia greggiiZones 6–9Seldom damaged
Where Buckthorn 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.
- Pennsylvania
- New Jersey
- New York
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Virginia
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Wisconsin
- Ohio
- Indiana
- Illinois
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- North Carolina
- Tennessee
- Georgia
- Texas
- Colorado
- California
- Oregon
- Washington
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Maine
- Rhode Island
- Delaware
- West Virginia
- Kentucky
- South Carolina
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- Iowa
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Alaska
- District of Columbia
Browse from here
Every list Buckthorn belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Buckthorn
- Is Buckthorn deer resistant?
- Buckthorn (Rhamnus sp.) is rated Seldom Severely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
- What hardiness zones does Buckthorn grow in?
- Buckthorn is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 7. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat. That is the range across the genus, so a named species or cultivar may be narrower.
- Does Buckthorn grow in shade?
- Yes. Buckthorn tolerates part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
- Is Buckthorn invasive?
- Buckthorn is listed as invasive or restricted in MN, WI, IL, IA, MI, NH, MA, CT, VT, NY, PA, OH, IN. Deer leaving it alone is not a reason to plant it. Check your own state before buying.