Is Clematis deer resistant?
Clematis sp.
Browsed where deer pressure is high. Protect it.
Rating source: Rutgers NJAES E271
Toxic to cats and dogs if eaten
About Clematis
Pruning depends entirely on which of three groups your plant belongs to, and getting it wrong means no flowers, so keep the label. The old rule of thumb is heads in sun, feet in shade: mulch the root run and shade the base. Clematis wilt collapses whole stems suddenly; cut back to healthy growth and it usually recovers.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 6.5 to 7.5
- Drainage
- Consistently moist
- Water
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 35 to 47 in apart
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Maintenance
- Moderate
Similar to Clematis
Other vines with the same deer rating.
- Climbing HydrangeaHydrangea anomala petiolarisZones 4–8Occasionally damaged
- English IvyHedera helixZones 4–9Occasionally damaged
- Goldflame HoneysuckleLonicera x heckrottiiZones 5–9Occasionally damaged
- Trumpet CreeperCampsis radicansZones 4–10Occasionally damaged
- Virginia CreeperParthenocissus quinquefoliaZones 3–10Occasionally damaged
Protecting Clematis
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 Clematis grows
Hardy across most of these 51 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
- Florida
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- Louisiana
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- Iowa
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Alaska
- District of Columbia
- Hawaii
Browse from here
Every list Clematis belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Clematis
- Is Clematis deer resistant?
- Clematis (Clematis sp.) is rated Occasionally Severely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Browsed where deer pressure is high. Protect it.
- What hardiness zones does Clematis grow in?
- Clematis is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9. 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 Clematis grow in shade?
- Yes. Clematis tolerates part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
- Is Clematis toxic to dogs or cats?
- Yes. The ASPCA lists Clematis 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.