My Deer Garden

Plant record · Shrub

Is Dwarf Balsam Fir deer resistant?

Abies balsamea 'Nana'

Balsam fir foliage
Photo by US Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Damage step 2 of 4 · Seldom Severely Damaged

Mostly. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.

Type
Shrub
Hardiness
Zones 3–7
Light
Part shade
Height
480–840 in
Maintenance
Low
Native range
18 US states

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

About Dwarf Balsam Fir

A slow dense cushion form of the balsam fir, and the foliage carries the classic Christmas tree scent. Wants cool moist acid soil and struggles south of zone 6.

Soil and care

Soil pH
5 to 6
Drainage
Consistently moist
Water
Moderate
Spacing
35 to 47 in apart
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low

Tolerances and uses

Evergreen

Similar to Dwarf Balsam Fir

Other shrubs with the same deer rating.

Where Dwarf Balsam Fir grows

Hardy across 48 states on zone range alone, and native to 18 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 — 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 — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Delaware — hardy here. Zones 7 to 7.District of Columbia — hardy here. Zones 7 to 8.Florida — not 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 — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 6.Iowa — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 6.Kansas — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Kentucky — hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.Louisiana — not hardy here. Zones 8 to 10.Maine — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 6.Maryland — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.Massachusetts — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Michigan — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 6.Minnesota — native, and hardy. 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 — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 6.New Jersey — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 7.New Mexico — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.New York — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 7.North Carolina — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.North Dakota — hardy here. Zones 3 to 4.Ohio — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 6.Oklahoma — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Oregon — hardy here. Zones 6 to 9.Pennsylvania — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Rhode Island — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 7.South Carolina — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.South Dakota — 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 — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 5.Virginia — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.Washington — hardy here. Zones 5 to 8.West Virginia — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Wisconsin — native, and hardy. 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 Dwarf Balsam Fir

Is Dwarf Balsam Fir deer resistant?
Dwarf Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea 'Nana') 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 Dwarf Balsam Fir grow in?
Dwarf Balsam Fir is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 7. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
Does Dwarf Balsam Fir grow in shade?
Yes. Dwarf Balsam Fir tolerates part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
How big does Dwarf Balsam Fir get?
Mature height is roughly 480–840 in. Growth rate is slow.

Browse from here

Every list Dwarf Balsam Fir belongs to.

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

Hardy in these zones

Zone 3·Zone 4·Zone 5·Zone 6·Zone 7

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 .