My Deer Garden

Plant record · Tree

Is European Mountain Ash deer resistant?

Sorbus aucuparia

Orange rowan berry clusters
Photo by Eeno11, CC BY-SA 3.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Damage step 4 of 4 · Frequently Severely Damaged

No. Deer will destroy this. Do not plant it unprotected.

Type
Tree
Hardiness
Zones 3–7
Light
Full sun
Height
240–480 in
Bloom
Spring
Maintenance
Moderate

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

About European Mountain Ash

Heavy orange berry crops that birds strip fast, on a tree deer browse hard when young. It also struggles in heat and humidity, is prone to fireblight and borers, and rarely lives long in the eastern United States. For berries and better disease resistance, a native serviceberry or a viburnum is the sounder choice.

Protecting European Mountain Ash

Deer will destroy this without protection, so the question is which kind you are willing to pay for.

  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. 3What a deer fence costsMaterial ratios are stable even when prices are not, and installation reliably doubles the figure.
  4. 4Repellent that actually worksThe egg-based recipe that reproduces the active ingredient in the commercial sprays that win university trials.

What to plant instead of European Mountain Ash

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

Soil and care

Soil pH
5.5 to 6.5
Drainage
Well drained
Water
Moderate
Spacing
177 to 236 in apart
Growth rate
Moderate
Maintenance
Moderate

Where European Mountain Ash grows

Hardy across 48 states on zone range alone. 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 — hardy here. 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 — hardy here. Zones 5 to 6.Iowa — hardy here. 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 — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Maryland — hardy here. 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 — 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 — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.New Jersey — hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.New Mexico — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.New York — hardy here. Zones 4 to 7.North Carolina — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.North Dakota — hardy here. Zones 3 to 4.Ohio — hardy here. Zones 5 to 6.Oklahoma — hardy here. 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 — 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 — hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Virginia — hardy here. 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.
Hardy on zone rangeNot hardy — still linked
Choose a state from the listeasier on a phone

Common questions about European Mountain Ash

Is European Mountain Ash deer resistant?
European Mountain Ash (Sorbus aucuparia) is rated Frequently Severely Damaged, step 4 of 4 on the damage scale this site uses. Deer will destroy this. Do not plant it unprotected.
What hardiness zones does European Mountain Ash grow in?
European Mountain Ash is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 7. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
Does European Mountain Ash grow in shade?
No. European Mountain Ash wants full sun and will grow thin and flop in shade.
How big does European Mountain Ash get?
Mature height is roughly 240–480 in. Growth rate is moderate.

Browse from here

Every list European Mountain Ash belongs to.

All trees·Deer favorites·Full sun plants·Mast and fruit trees

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 .