Is Japanese Pieris deer resistant?
Pieris japonica
Plant typeShrubHardinessZones 4–8LightPart shade
Mature height96–120 in
BloomSpringMaintenanceModerate
Toxic to cats and dogs if eaten
About Japanese Pieris
Chains of white bells in early spring above bronze new growth. Every part is toxic, which is the reason deer walk past it and a reason to site it thoughtfully.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 4.5 to 6
- Drainage
- Consistently moist
- Water
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 47 to 71 in apart
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Maintenance
- Moderate
Tolerances and uses
- Evergreen
Similar to Japanese Pieris
Other shrubs with the same deer rating.
- Arrowwood ViburnumViburnum dentatumZones 2–8Rarely damaged
- BarberryBerberis sp.Zones 4–8, genus rangeRarely damaged
- BayberryMyrica pensylvanicaZones 3–7Rarely damaged
- Blue Mist ShrubCaryopteris clandonensisZones 6–9Rarely damaged
- BoxwoodBuxus sempervirensZones 5–8Rarely damaged
- BroomCytisus sp.Zones 5–8, genus rangeRarely damaged
Where Japanese Pieris grows
Hardy across most of these 50 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering.
- 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
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Every list Japanese Pieris belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Japanese Pieris
- Is Japanese Pieris deer resistant?
- Japanese Pieris (Pieris japonica) is rated Rarely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Deer almost always leave this alone.
- What hardiness zones does Japanese Pieris grow in?
- Japanese Pieris is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 8. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does Japanese Pieris grow in shade?
- Yes. Japanese Pieris tolerates part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
- How big does Japanese Pieris get?
- Mature height is roughly 96–120 in. Growth rate is slow.
- Is Japanese Pieris toxic to dogs or cats?
- Yes. The ASPCA lists Japanese Pieris 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.