My Deer Garden

Plant record · Annual

Is Heliotrope deer resistant?

Heliotropium arborescens

Deep purple heliotrope flower head
Photo by Derek Ramsey, CC BY-SA 2.5. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Damage step 1 of 4 · Rarely Damaged

Yes. Deer almost always leave this alone.

Type
Annual
Hardiness
Grown as an annual, any zone
Light
Part shade
Height
12–30 in
Bloom
Summer and Fall
Maintenance
Moderate
Toxic to
horses

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

About Heliotrope

Sold for the vanilla scent, which varies enormously between cultivars, so buy it in flower and smell it first. Toxic to livestock and pets.

Soil and care

Soil pH
6 to 7
Drainage
Consistently moist
Water
Moderate
Spacing
12 to 18 in apart
Growth rate
Moderate
Maintenance
Moderate

Similar to Heliotrope

Other annuals with the same deer rating.

Where Heliotrope grows

Hardy across every state 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 — hardy here. Zones 8 to 11.Georgia — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Hawaii — 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 — 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 Heliotrope

Is Heliotrope deer resistant?
Heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens) is rated Rarely Damaged, step 1 of 4 on the damage scale this site uses. Deer almost always leave this alone.
What hardiness zones does Heliotrope grow in?
Heliotrope is hardy in USDA zones 2 to 11. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
Does Heliotrope grow in shade?
Yes. Heliotrope tolerates part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
How big does Heliotrope get?
Mature height is roughly 12–30 in. Growth rate is moderate.
Is Heliotrope toxic to dogs or cats?
Not to dogs or cats — the ASPCA lists Heliotrope as toxic to horses only. The ASPCA does not list it as a risk to dogs or cats.

Browse from here

Every list Heliotrope belongs to.

All annuals·Rarely damaged·Part shade plants

Hardy in these zones

Zone 3·Zone 4·Zone 5·Zone 6·Zone 7·Zone 8·Zone 9

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 .