Is European Larch deer resistant?
Larix decidua
Browsed where deer pressure is high. Protect it.
Rating source: Rutgers NJAES E271
About European Larch
A deciduous conifer: the needles turn clear gold and drop, leaving a fine tracery of branches all winter. Fresh spring growth is an unusually bright green. Needs cool conditions and full sun, and does poorly in hot humid summers.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 5 to 6.5
- Drainage
- Well drained
- Water
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 177 to 236 in apart
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Maintenance
- Low
Deer-resistant alternatives to European Larch
Same plant type, hardy in the same zones, but rated better on the Rutgers scale. If European Larch keeps getting eaten, these go in the same spot.
Similar to European Larch
Other trees with the same deer rating.
- Alternate-Leaved DogwoodCornus alternifoliaZones 3–7Occasionally damaged
- American PersimmonDiospyros virginianaZones 4–9Occasionally damaged
- AppleMalus sp.Zones 4–9, genus rangeOccasionally damaged
- Atlantic White CedarChamaecyparis thyoidesZones 3–9Occasionally damaged
- Atlas CedarCedrus atlanticaZones 6–9Occasionally damaged
- Bald CypressTaxodium distichumZones 4–9Occasionally damaged
Protecting European Larch
Whether this survives comes down to local pressure, so it is worth knowing the options before it gets browsed rather than after.
- Protecting a young treeBrowsing costs a season. A buck rubbing a two-inch stem in October girdles it and kills it outright.
- 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 European Larch grows
Hardy across most of these 41 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
- Texas
- Colorado
- Oregon
- Washington
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Maine
- Rhode Island
- West Virginia
- Kentucky
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- Iowa
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Alaska
Browse from here
Every list European Larch belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about European Larch
- Is European Larch deer resistant?
- European Larch (Larix decidua) is rated Occasionally Severely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Browsed where deer pressure is high. Protect it.
- What hardiness zones does European Larch grow in?
- European Larch is hardy in USDA zones 2 to 6. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does European Larch grow in shade?
- No. European Larch wants full sun and will grow thin and flop in shade.
- How big does European Larch get?
- Mature height is roughly 720–1200 in. Growth rate is fast.