Is Devil's Walking Stick deer resistant?
Aralia spinosa
Plant typeShrubHardinessZones 4–9LightPart shade
Mature height120–420 in
BloomSummer and FallMaintenanceHigh, wants regular attention
Native range28 US states
Toxic to cats and dogs if eaten
About Devil's Walking Stick
Vicious spines on the trunk and even the leaf stalks. It suckers into a thicket, so keep it well away from paths and anywhere children play.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 5.5 to 7
- Drainage
- Average garden soil
- Water
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 94 to 142 in apart
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Maintenance
- High
Similar to Devil's Walking Stick
Other shrubs with the same deer rating.
- Arrowwood ViburnumViburnum dentatumZones 2–8Rarely damaged
- BarberryBerberis sp.Zones 4–8, genus rangeRarely damaged
- BayberryMyrica pensylvanicaZones 3–7Rarely damaged
- Blue Mist ShrubCaryopteris clandonensisZones 6–9Rarely damaged
- BoxwoodBuxus sempervirensZones 5–8Rarely damaged
- BroomCytisus sp.Zones 5–8, genus rangeRarely damaged
Where Devil's Walking Stick 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.
- Pennsylvanianative
- New Jerseynative
- New Yorknative
- Connecticutnative
- Massachusettsnative
- Virginianative
- Marylandnative
- Michigan
- Wisconsin
- Ohionative
- Indiananative
- Illinoisnative
- Minnesota
- Missourinative
- North Carolinanative
- Tennesseenative
- Georgianative
- Texasnative
- Colorado
- California
- Oregon
- Washington
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Mainenative
- Rhode Islandnative
- Delawarenative
- West Virginianative
- Kentuckynative
- South Carolinanative
- Floridanative
- Alabamanative
- Mississippinative
- Louisiananative
- Arkansasnative
- Oklahomanative
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- Iowa
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Alaska
- District of Columbianative
- Hawaii
Highlighted states are within its native range according to the USDA PLANTS database, where it is native to 28 US states in total.
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Every list Devil's Walking Stick belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Devil's Walking Stick
- Is Devil's Walking Stick deer resistant?
- Devil's Walking Stick (Aralia spinosa) is rated Rarely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Deer almost always leave this alone.
- What hardiness zones does Devil's Walking Stick grow in?
- Devil's Walking Stick is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does Devil's Walking Stick grow in shade?
- Yes. Devil's Walking Stick tolerates part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
- How big does Devil's Walking Stick get?
- Mature height is roughly 120–420 in. Growth rate is fast.
- Is Devil's Walking Stick toxic to dogs or cats?
- Yes. The ASPCA lists Devil's Walking Stick 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.