My Deer Garden

Plant record · Tree

Is Norway Maple deer resistant?

Acer platanoides

Norway maple foliage
Photo by Martin Bobka, CC BY-SA 2.5. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Damage step 3 of 4 · Occasionally Severely Damaged

Partly. Browsed where deer pressure is high. Protect it.

Type
Tree
Hardiness
Zones 3–7
Light
Full sun
Height
480–600 in
Bloom
Spring
Maintenance
Moderate

Damage steps follow a published university field scale. How plants are rated.

About Norway Maple

Planted heavily as a street tree and now invasive across the northeast and midwest, seeding into woodland where its dense shade and shallow roots stop native seedlings establishing. Banned in several states. Nothing will grow beneath it, including grass.

Protecting Norway Maple

Whether this survives comes down to local pressure, so decide on the options before it gets browsed rather than after.

  1. 1Protecting a young treeBrowsing costs a season. A buck rubbing a two-inch stem in October girdles it and kills it outright.
  2. 2How tall a deer fence needs to beEight feet, and six is the most common expensive mistake in deer fencing.
  3. 3Repellent that actually worksThe egg-based recipe that reproduces the active ingredient in the commercial sprays that win university trials.
  4. 4Check 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.

What to plant instead of Norway Maple

Same plant type, hardy in the same zones, and rated better for deer. If Norway Maple keeps getting eaten, these go in the same spot.

Soil and care

Soil pH
5.5 to 7.5
Drainage
Average garden soil
Water
Moderate
Spacing
236 to 354 in apart
Growth rate
Fast
Maintenance
Moderate

Where Norway Maple grows

Hardy across 48 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.

Alabama — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Alaska — hardy here. Zones 1 to 8.Arizona — hardy here. Zones 5 to 10.Arkansas — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.California — hardy here. Zones 7 to 10.Colorado — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Connecticut — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Delaware — hardy here. Zones 7 to 7.District of Columbia — hardy here. Zones 7 to 8.Florida — not hardy here. Zones 8 to 11.Georgia — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Hawaii — not hardy here. Zones 9 to 12.Idaho — hardy here. Zones 3 to 7.Illinois — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Indiana — hardy here. Zones 5 to 6.Iowa — hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Kansas — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Kentucky — hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.Louisiana — not hardy here. Zones 8 to 10.Maine — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Maryland — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Massachusetts — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Michigan — hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Minnesota — hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Mississippi — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Missouri — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Montana — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Nebraska — hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Nevada — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.New Hampshire — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.New Jersey — hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.New Mexico — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.New York — hardy here. Zones 4 to 7.North Carolina — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.North Dakota — hardy here. Zones 3 to 4.Ohio — hardy here. Zones 5 to 6.Oklahoma — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Oregon — hardy here. Zones 6 to 9.Pennsylvania — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Rhode Island — hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.South Carolina — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.South Dakota — hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Tennessee — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Texas — hardy here. Zones 6 to 9.Utah — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.Vermont — hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Virginia — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Washington — hardy here. Zones 5 to 8.West Virginia — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Wisconsin — hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Wyoming — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.
Hardy on zone rangeNot hardy — still linked
Choose a state from the listeasier on a phone

Common questions about Norway Maple

Is Norway Maple deer resistant?
Norway Maple (Acer platanoides) is rated Occasionally Severely Damaged, step 3 of 4 on the damage scale this site uses. Browsed where deer pressure is high. Protect it.
What hardiness zones does Norway Maple grow in?
Norway Maple is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 7. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
Does Norway Maple grow in shade?
No. Norway Maple wants full sun and will grow thin and flop in shade.
How big does Norway Maple get?
Mature height is roughly 480–600 in. Growth rate is fast.
Is Norway Maple invasive?
Norway Maple is listed as invasive or restricted in MA, NH, CT, NY, PA, NJ, VT, ME, RI, WI, OR. Deer leaving it alone is not a reason to plant it. Check your own state before buying.

Browse from here

Every list Norway Maple belongs to.

All trees·Sometimes destroyed·Full sun plants·Mast and fruit trees

Hardy in these zones

Zone 3·Zone 4·Zone 5·Zone 6·Zone 7

Damage ratings follow the four-step field scale published by Rutgers University. Growing data is compiled from state extension sources and still being verified record by record. Last reviewed .