My Deer Garden

Is New England Aster deer resistant?

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae

Seldom damaged

Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.

Not listed by Rutgers NJAES. Rated deer-resistant by El Paso County CSU Extension, whose list is a single category, mapped conservatively to Seldom Severely Damaged.

Plant typePerennialHardinessZones 4–8LightPart shade
Mature height36–84 in
BloomWinter and Spring and Summer
MaintenanceModerate
Native range43 US states

About New England Aster

By the time this opens, in August, most of the border has finished — rose-purple rays round an orange-yellow centre, carried on stout stems with hairy, clasping leaves that deer tend to walk past. The problem is always the same one: bare brown legs and mildewed lower foliage by the time the flowers arrive, on a plant that can reach seven feet. Crowding causes both. Give it room and moving air, then lift and divide the clump every few years, because an old congested crown is what produces thin leggy stems in the first place. Moist soil it likes. Moist still air it does not. Where it is happy it is aggressive, so it belongs at the back of a large border or in rough grass rather than anywhere fussy. Cut the whole thing to the ground once flowering is over.

Similar to New England Aster

Other perennials with the same deer rating.

Where New England Aster 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.

Highlighted states are within its native range according to the USDA PLANTS database, where it is native to 43 US states in total.

Browse from here

Every list New England Aster belongs to.

Hardy in these zones

Common questions about New England Aster

Is New England Aster deer resistant?
New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) is rated Seldom Severely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
What hardiness zones does New England Aster grow in?
New England Aster is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 8. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
Does New England Aster grow in shade?
Yes. New England Aster tolerates part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
How big does New England Aster get?
Mature height is roughly 36–84 in. Growth rate is moderate.