Is Catawba Rhododendron deer resistant?
Rhododendron catawbiense
Browsed where deer pressure is high. Protect it.
Rating source: Rutgers NJAES E271
Toxic to cats and dogs if eaten
About Catawba Rhododendron
The parent of most hardy hybrid rhododendrons, and a large plant at maturity. Evergreen leaves make it a winter target for deer, and the leaves curl and droop in cold as a normal water-conserving response rather than a sign of trouble. Wants acid soil that is moist but never waterlogged.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 4.5 to 6
- Drainage
- Consistently moist
- Water
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 71 to 118 in apart
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Maintenance
- Moderate
Tolerances and uses
- Evergreen
Deer-resistant alternatives to Catawba Rhododendron
Same plant type, hardy in the same zones, but rated better on the Rutgers scale. If Catawba Rhododendron keeps getting eaten, these go in the same spot.
- Arrowwood ViburnumViburnum dentatumZones 2–8Rarely damaged
- BarberryBerberis sp.Zones 4–8, genus rangeRarely damaged
- DaphneDaphne sp.Zones 4–8, genus rangeRarely damaged
- Devil's Walking StickAralia spinosaZones 4–9Rarely damaged
- Fragrant SumacRhus aromaticaZones 3–9Rarely damaged
- Japanese BarberryBerberis thunbergiiZones 4–8Rarely damaged
Similar to Catawba Rhododendron
Other shrubs with the same deer rating.
- Bigleaf HydrangeaHydrangea macrophyllaZones 6–11Occasionally damaged
- Bloodtwig DogwoodCornus sanguineaZones 5–7Occasionally damaged
- Blue HollyIlex x meserveaeZones 5–7Occasionally damaged
- Carolina RhododendronRhododendron carolinianumZones 5–8Occasionally damaged
- Chinese LilacSyringa x chinensisZones 3–7Occasionally damaged
- Deciduous AzaleaRhododendron sp.Zones 5–8, genus rangeOccasionally damaged
Protecting Catawba Rhododendron
Whether this survives comes down to local pressure, so it is worth knowing the options before it gets browsed rather than after.
- How tall a deer fence needs to beEight feet, and six is the most common expensive mistake in deer fencing.
- Repellent that actually worksThe egg-based recipe that reproduces the active ingredient in the commercial sprays that win university trials.
- Check it is actually deerDeer tear and leave a ragged stub. A clean 45-degree cut is rabbits, and slug holes get blamed on deer constantly.
Where Catawba Rhododendron grows
Hardy across most of these 50 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
- Massachusettsnative
- Virginianative
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Wisconsin
- Ohio
- Indiana
- Illinois
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- North Carolinanative
- Tennesseenative
- Georgianative
- Texas
- Colorado
- California
- Oregon
- Washington
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Maine
- Rhode Island
- Delaware
- West Virginianative
- Kentuckynative
- South Carolinanative
- Florida
- Alabamanative
- Mississippi
- Louisiana
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- Iowa
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Alaska
- District of Columbia
Highlighted states are within its native range according to the USDA PLANTS database, where it is native to 9 US states in total.
Browse from here
Every list Catawba Rhododendron belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Catawba Rhododendron
- Is Catawba Rhododendron deer resistant?
- Catawba Rhododendron (Rhododendron catawbiense) is rated Occasionally Severely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Browsed where deer pressure is high. Protect it.
- What hardiness zones does Catawba Rhododendron grow in?
- Catawba Rhododendron is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 8. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does Catawba Rhododendron grow in shade?
- Yes. Catawba Rhododendron tolerates part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
- How big does Catawba Rhododendron get?
- Mature height is roughly 72–120 in. Growth rate is slow.
- Is Catawba Rhododendron toxic to dogs or cats?
- Yes. The ASPCA lists Catawba Rhododendron 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.