Is Mountain Pieris deer resistant?
Pieris floribunda
Plant typeShrubHardinessZones 4–6LightFull shade to part shade
Mature height48–72 in
BloomSpringMaintenanceLow, mostly leave it alone
Native range6 US states
Toxic to cats and dogs if eaten
About Mountain Pieris
The native American pieris, hardier and more compact than the Japanese species, with upright rather than drooping flower clusters. Harder to find in nurseries but worth asking for.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 4.5 to 6
- Drainage
- Consistently moist
- Water
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 47 to 71 in apart
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Maintenance
- Low
Tolerances and uses
- Evergreen
Similar to Mountain 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 Mountain Pieris grows
Hardy across most of these 41 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
- Virginianative
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Wisconsin
- Ohio
- Indiana
- Illinois
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- North Carolinanative
- Tennesseenative
- Texas
- Colorado
- Oregon
- Washington
- New Hampshire
- Vermontnative
- Maine
- Rhode Island
- West Virginianative
- Kentucky
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- Iowa
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Alaska
Highlighted states are within its native range according to the USDA PLANTS database, where it is native to 6 US states in total.
Browse from here
Every list Mountain Pieris belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Mountain Pieris
- Is Mountain Pieris deer resistant?
- Mountain Pieris (Pieris floribunda) is rated Rarely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Deer almost always leave this alone.
- What hardiness zones does Mountain Pieris grow in?
- Mountain Pieris is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 6. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does Mountain Pieris grow in shade?
- Yes. Mountain Pieris tolerates full shade to part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
- How big does Mountain Pieris get?
- Mature height is roughly 48–72 in. Growth rate is slow.
- Is Mountain Pieris toxic to dogs or cats?
- Yes. The ASPCA lists Mountain Pieris as toxic to dogs and cats. Site it away from where animals graze, or choose something else if you have a dog that chews.