Is Multiflora Rose deer resistant?
Rosa multiflora
Browsed where deer pressure is high. Protect it.
Rating source: Rutgers NJAES E271
About Multiflora Rose
Introduced deliberately for hedging and erosion control, and now one of the worst invasive shrubs in the eastern United States, forming impenetrable thorny thickets that shade out everything beneath. Banned or listed noxious in many states. This is a plant to identify and remove, not to buy.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 5.5 to 7.5
- Drainage
- Average garden soil
- Water
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 71 to 118 in apart
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Maintenance
- High
Deer-resistant alternatives to Multiflora Rose
Same plant type, hardy in the same zones, but rated better on the Rutgers scale. If Multiflora Rose keeps getting eaten, these go in the same spot.
Similar to Multiflora Rose
Other shrubs with the same deer rating.
- Bigleaf HydrangeaHydrangea macrophyllaZones 6–11Occasionally damaged
- Bloodtwig DogwoodCornus sanguineaZones 5–7Occasionally damaged
- Blue HollyIlex x meserveaeZones 5–7Occasionally damaged
- Carolina RhododendronRhododendron carolinianumZones 5–8Occasionally damaged
- Catawba RhododendronRhododendron catawbienseZones 4–8Occasionally damaged
- Chinese LilacSyringa x chinensisZones 3–7Occasionally damaged
Protecting Multiflora Rose
Whether this survives comes down to local pressure, so it is worth knowing the options before it gets browsed rather than after.
- How tall a deer fence needs to beEight feet, and six is the most common expensive mistake in deer fencing.
- Repellent that actually worksThe egg-based recipe that reproduces the active ingredient in the commercial sprays that win university trials.
- Check it is actually deerDeer tear and leave a ragged stub. A clean 45-degree cut is rabbits, and slug holes get blamed on deer constantly.
Where Multiflora Rose 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.
- 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
Browse from here
Every list Multiflora Rose belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Multiflora Rose
- Is Multiflora Rose deer resistant?
- Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora) is rated Occasionally Severely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Browsed where deer pressure is high. Protect it.
- What hardiness zones does Multiflora Rose grow in?
- Multiflora Rose is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does Multiflora Rose grow in shade?
- Yes. Multiflora Rose tolerates part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
- How big does Multiflora Rose get?
- Mature height is roughly 120–180 in. Growth rate is fast.
- Is Multiflora Rose invasive?
- Multiflora Rose is listed as invasive or restricted in IA, KS, MO, OH, PA, WV, VA, IL, IN, NE, SD, WI, CT, MA, NH, NJ, NY. Deer leaving it alone is not a reason to plant it. Check your own state before buying.