My Deer Garden

Plant record · Tree

Is Chestnut Oak deer resistant?

Quercus prinus

Chestnut oak on a dry rocky ridge
Photo by Jakec, CC BY-SA 4.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Damage step 3 of 4 · Occasionally Severely Damaged

Partly. Browsed where deer pressure is high. Protect it.

Type
Tree
Hardiness
Zones 4–9
Light
Full sun
Height
720–960 in
Bloom
Spring
Maintenance
Low
Native range
19 US states
Toxic to
horses

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

About Chestnut Oak

Grows on dry rocky ridges where few other oaks manage, and the deeply ridged bark is among the most characterful of any tree. Acorns are a major wildlife food, which is part of why deer congregate under it. Very slow, and it resents root disturbance and transplanting.

Protecting Chestnut Oak

Whether this survives comes down to local pressure, so decide on the options before it gets browsed rather than after.

  1. 1Protecting a young treeBrowsing costs a season. A buck rubbing a two-inch stem in October girdles it and kills it outright.
  2. 2How tall a deer fence needs to beEight feet, and six is the most common expensive mistake in deer fencing.
  3. 3Repellent that actually worksThe egg-based recipe that reproduces the active ingredient in the commercial sprays that win university trials.
  4. 4Check 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.

What to plant instead of Chestnut Oak

Same plant type, hardy in the same zones, and rated better for deer. If Chestnut Oak keeps getting eaten, these go in the same spot.

Soil and care

Soil pH
4.5 to 6.5
Drainage
Well drained
Water
Low
Spacing
236 to 354 in apart
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low

Where Chestnut Oak grows

Hardy across every state on zone range alone, and native to 19 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 — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 9.Alaska — hardy here. Zones 1 to 8.Arizona — hardy here. Zones 5 to 10.Arkansas — native, and hardy. 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 — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 7.District of Columbia — hardy here. Zones 7 to 8.Florida — native, and hardy. Zones 8 to 11.Georgia — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 9.Hawaii — hardy here. Zones 9 to 12.Idaho — hardy here. Zones 3 to 7.Illinois — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Indiana — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 6.Iowa — hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Kansas — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Kentucky — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 7.Louisiana — native, and hardy. Zones 8 to 10.Maine — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Maryland — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.Massachusetts — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Michigan — hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Minnesota — hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Mississippi — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 9.Missouri — native, and hardy. 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 — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 7.New Mexico — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.New York — hardy here. Zones 4 to 7.North Carolina — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.North Dakota — hardy here. Zones 3 to 4.Ohio — hardy here. Zones 5 to 6.Oklahoma — native, and hardy. 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 — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 9.South Dakota — hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Tennessee — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.Texas — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 9.Utah — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.Vermont — hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Virginia — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.Washington — hardy here. Zones 5 to 8.West Virginia — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Wisconsin — hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Wyoming — hardy here. 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 Chestnut Oak

Is Chestnut Oak deer resistant?
Chestnut Oak (Quercus prinus) is rated Occasionally Severely Damaged, step 3 of 4 on the damage scale this site uses. Browsed where deer pressure is high. Protect it.
What hardiness zones does Chestnut Oak grow in?
Chestnut Oak is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
Does Chestnut Oak grow in shade?
No. Chestnut Oak wants full sun and will grow thin and flop in shade.
How big does Chestnut Oak get?
Mature height is roughly 720–960 in. Growth rate is slow.
Is Chestnut Oak toxic to dogs or cats?
Not to dogs or cats — the ASPCA lists Chestnut Oak as toxic to horses only. The ASPCA does not list it as a risk to dogs or cats.

Browse from here

Every list Chestnut Oak belongs to.

All trees·Sometimes destroyed·Full sun plants·Mast and fruit trees

Hardy in these zones

Zone 4·Zone 5·Zone 6·Zone 7·Zone 8·Zone 9

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 .