Plant record · Shrub
Is Japanese Pieris deer resistant?
Pieris japonica
Damage step 1 of 4 · Rarely Damaged
Yes. Deer almost always leave this alone.
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Light
- Part shade
- Height
- 96–120 in
- Bloom
- Spring
- Maintenance
- Moderate
- Toxic to
- dogs, cats, and horses
Damage steps follow a published university field scale. How plants are rated.
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 is used
2 guides on this site plant it, and say where and what beside it.
- Structure: Build the Bones from Resistant PlantsWinter is when structure carries the garden and when browse pressure peaks. The decision that matters is not what gets eaten but what grows back.6 min
- Wall and Foundation Planting PlanThe strip at the base of a wall is the driest ground you own, and a wall stops nothing. Aspect decides the planting; the rain shadow decides whether it lives.6 min
Where Japanese Pieris grows
Hardy across 50 states 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 Japanese Pieris
- Is Japanese Pieris deer resistant?
- Japanese Pieris (Pieris japonica) 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 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.
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Every list Japanese Pieris belongs to.
All shrubs·Rarely damaged·Part shade plants·Evergreen shrubs