My Deer Garden

Plant record · Shrub

Is Cherry Laurel deer resistant?

Prunus laurocerasus

Glossy evergreen cherry laurel leaves
Photo by Karduelis, Public domain. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Damage step 2 of 4 · Seldom Severely Damaged

Mostly. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.

Type
Shrub
Hardiness
Zones 6–8
Light
Part shade
Height
120–240 in
Bloom
Spring
Maintenance
Moderate
Toxic to
dogs, cats, and horses

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

About Cherry Laurel

Fast dense evergreen screening, and it takes hard clipping. The leaves contain cyanogenic compounds, which is why deer avoid it and why clippings should never go near livestock.

Soil and care

Soil pH
5.5 to 7.5
Drainage
Well drained
Water
Moderate
Spacing
71 to 118 in apart
Growth rate
Fast
Maintenance
Moderate

Tolerances and uses

Evergreen

Similar to Cherry Laurel

Other shrubs with the same deer rating.

Where Cherry Laurel grows

Hardy across 45 states on zone range alone. 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 — hardy here. Zones 1 to 8.Arizona — hardy here. Zones 5 to 10.Arkansas — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.California — hardy here. Zones 7 to 10.Colorado — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Connecticut — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Delaware — hardy here. Zones 7 to 7.District of Columbia — hardy here. Zones 7 to 8.Florida — hardy here. Zones 8 to 11.Georgia — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Hawaii — not hardy here. Zones 9 to 12.Idaho — hardy here. Zones 3 to 7.Illinois — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Indiana — hardy here. Zones 5 to 6.Iowa — hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Kansas — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Kentucky — hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.Louisiana — hardy here. Zones 8 to 10.Maine — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Maryland — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Massachusetts — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Michigan — hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Minnesota — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Mississippi — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Missouri — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Montana — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Nebraska — hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Nevada — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.New Hampshire — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.New Jersey — hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.New Mexico — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.New York — hardy here. Zones 4 to 7.North Carolina — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.North Dakota — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 4.Ohio — hardy here. Zones 5 to 6.Oklahoma — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Oregon — hardy here. Zones 6 to 9.Pennsylvania — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Rhode Island — hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.South Carolina — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.South Dakota — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Tennessee — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Texas — hardy here. Zones 6 to 9.Utah — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.Vermont — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Virginia — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Washington — hardy here. Zones 5 to 8.West Virginia — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Wisconsin — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Wyoming — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.
Hardy on zone rangeNot hardy — still linked
Choose a state from the listeasier on a phone

Common questions about Cherry Laurel

Is Cherry Laurel deer resistant?
Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) is rated Seldom Severely Damaged, step 2 of 4 on the damage scale this site uses. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
What hardiness zones does Cherry Laurel grow in?
Cherry Laurel is hardy in USDA zones 6 to 8. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
Does Cherry Laurel grow in shade?
Yes. Cherry Laurel tolerates part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
How big does Cherry Laurel get?
Mature height is roughly 120–240 in. Growth rate is fast.
Is Cherry Laurel toxic to dogs or cats?
Yes. The ASPCA lists Cherry Laurel 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.

Browse from here

Every list Cherry Laurel belongs to.

All shrubs·Seldom damaged·Part shade plants·Evergreen shrubs

Hardy in these zones

Zone 6·Zone 7·Zone 8

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 .