Plant record · Perennial
Is Iris deer resistant?
Iris sp.
Yes. Deer almost always leave this alone.
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9, genus range
- Light
- Full sun
- Bloom
- Spring and Summer
- Maintenance
- Moderate
- Toxic to
- dogs, cats, and horses
Damage steps follow a published university field scale. How plants are rated.
About Iris
Rhizomes and foliage are both unpalatable, so the whole genus is dependable in deer country. Siberian types take damp ground; bearded types need to bake dry.
Do deer eat irises?
Rarely. Rutgers rates the genus Rarely Damaged, and NC State's entry for the bearded iris, Iris germanica, calls it "very resistant to browsing by deer." Both the rhizome and the leaf are unpalatable, as above, and NC State records low-severity toxins in the roots, sap and seeds, which is one reason. A clump in flower may lose a bloom under heavy pressure; a clump in leaf is left alone.
What kills irises instead
The iris borer, planting depth, and shade. NC State calls the borer "a major insect pest" and its answer is to remove affected roots and foliage immediately, clear the bed of foliage at the end of the season, and divide as clumps crowd. Rhizomes "should be planted at soil level or lightly covered and not mulched." Six hours of sun.
Which irises
The bearded types bake dry, the Siberian types take damp ground, and the rating covers both. Heights run 1 to 4 feet by type, hardy through zone 3.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 6 to 7.5
- Drainage
- Well drained
- Water
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 12 to 18 in apart
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Maintenance
- Moderate
Similar to Iris
Other perennials with the same deer rating.
- Anise HyssopAgastache sp.Zones 4–9, genus rangeRarely damaged
- Basket of GoldAurinia saxatilisZones 3–7Rarely damaged
- Bearded IrisIris germanicaZones 3–9Rarely damaged
- Bigleaf GoldenrayLigularia dentataZones 4–8Rarely damaged
- Bleeding HeartLamprocapnos spectabilisZones 3–9Rarely damaged
- Butter and EggsLinaria vulgarisZones 3–9Rarely damaged
Where Iris 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.
Choose a state from the listeasier on a phone
- Pennsylvania
- New Jersey
- New York
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Virginia
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Wisconsin
- Ohio
- Indiana
- Illinois
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- North Carolina
- Tennessee
- Georgia
- Texas
- Colorado
- California
- Oregon
- Washington
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Maine
- Rhode Island
- Delaware
- West Virginia
- Kentucky
- South Carolina
- Florida
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- Louisiana
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- Iowa
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Alaska
- District of Columbia
- Hawaii
Common questions about Iris
- Is Iris deer resistant?
- Iris (Iris sp.) 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 Iris grow in?
- Iris is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat. That is the range across the genus, so a named species or cultivar may be narrower.
- Does Iris grow in shade?
- No. Iris wants full sun and will grow thin and flop in shade.
- Is Iris toxic to dogs or cats?
- Yes. The ASPCA lists Iris 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.
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All perennials·Rarely damaged·Full sun plants