Is Jack-in-the-Pulpit deer resistant?
Arisaema triphyllum
Plant typePerennialHardinessZones 4–9LightFull shade to part shadeMature height12–30 inBloomSpring
MaintenanceLow, mostly leave it alone
Native range38 US states
Toxic to cats and dogs if eaten
About Jack-in-the-Pulpit
Calcium oxalate crystals make every part burn the mouth, which is why nothing browses it. Dies back by midsummer, leaving a spike of red berries.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 5 to 6.5
- Drainage
- Consistently moist
- Water
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 12 to 18 in apart
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Maintenance
- Low
Similar to Jack-in-the-Pulpit
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 Jack-in-the-Pulpit grows
Hardy across most of these 51 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering.
- Pennsylvanianative
- New Jerseynative
- New Yorknative
- Connecticutnative
- Massachusettsnative
- Virginianative
- Marylandnative
- Michigannative
- Wisconsinnative
- Ohionative
- Indiananative
- Illinoisnative
- Minnesotanative
- Missourinative
- North Carolinanative
- Tennesseenative
- Georgianative
- Texasnative
- Colorado
- California
- Oregon
- Washington
- New Hampshirenative
- Vermontnative
- Mainenative
- Rhode Islandnative
- Delawarenative
- West Virginianative
- Kentuckynative
- South Carolinanative
- Floridanative
- Alabamanative
- Mississippinative
- Louisiananative
- Arkansasnative
- Oklahomanative
- Kansasnative
- Nebraskanative
- Iowanative
- North Dakotanative
- South Dakotanative
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Alaska
- District of Columbianative
- Hawaii
Highlighted states are within its native range according to the USDA PLANTS database, where it is native to 38 US states in total.
Browse from here
Every list Jack-in-the-Pulpit belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Jack-in-the-Pulpit
- Is Jack-in-the-Pulpit deer resistant?
- Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) is rated Rarely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Deer almost always leave this alone.
- What hardiness zones does Jack-in-the-Pulpit grow in?
- Jack-in-the-Pulpit is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does Jack-in-the-Pulpit grow in shade?
- Yes. Jack-in-the-Pulpit tolerates full shade to part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
- How big does Jack-in-the-Pulpit get?
- Mature height is roughly 12–30 in. Growth rate is slow.
- Is Jack-in-the-Pulpit toxic to dogs or cats?
- Yes. The ASPCA lists Jack-in-the-Pulpit 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.