My Deer Garden

Plant record · Shrub

Is Japanese Kerria deer resistant?

Kerria japonica

Botanical illustration of Kerria japonica
Photo by Abraham Jacobus Wendel, Public domain. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Damage step 2 of 4 · Seldom Severely Damaged

Mostly. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.

Type
Shrub
Hardiness
Zones 4–9
Light
Part shade
Height
36–84 in
Bloom
Spring
Maintenance
Low

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

About Japanese Kerria

Yellow flowers in spring and bright green stems that stay green all winter, which makes it one of the few shrubs with genuine winter stem color in shade. It suckers steadily into a thicket, so plant it where that is useful. Flowers on old wood, so prune immediately after flowering.

Soil and care

Soil pH
5.5 to 7
Drainage
Average garden soil
Water
Moderate
Spacing
47 to 71 in apart
Growth rate
Fast
Maintenance
Low

Similar to Japanese Kerria

Other shrubs with the same deer rating.

Where Japanese Kerria 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 Japanese Kerria

Is Japanese Kerria deer resistant?
Japanese Kerria (Kerria japonica) is rated Seldom Severely Damaged, step 2 of 4 on the damage scale this site uses. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
What hardiness zones does Japanese Kerria grow in?
Japanese Kerria is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
Does Japanese Kerria grow in shade?
Yes. Japanese Kerria tolerates part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
How big does Japanese Kerria get?
Mature height is roughly 36–84 in. Growth rate is fast.

Browse from here

Every list Japanese Kerria belongs to.

All shrubs·Seldom damaged·Part shade plants

Hardy in these zones

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 .