My Deer Garden

Plant record · Shrub

Is Panicle Hydrangea deer resistant?

Hydrangea paniculata

Large white conical hydrangea flower heads
Photo by Hedwig Storch, CC BY-SA 3.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Damage step 3 of 4 · Occasionally Severely Damaged

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

Type
Shrub
Hardiness
Zones 3–8
Light
Part shade
Height
96–300 in
Bloom
Summer and Fall
Maintenance
Low
Toxic to
dogs, cats, and horses

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

About Panicle Hydrangea

The most reliable hydrangea in cold regions because it flowers on new wood, so a hard winter never costs you the display. Cut it back by a third each spring. Also the most sun-tolerant of the group. Flowers age from white through pink to russet and dry on the plant.

Protecting Panicle Hydrangea

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

  1. 1How tall a deer fence needs to beEight feet, and six is the most common expensive mistake in deer fencing.
  2. 2Repellent that actually worksThe egg-based recipe that reproduces the active ingredient in the commercial sprays that win university trials.
  3. 3Check 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 Panicle Hydrangea

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

Soil and care

Soil pH
5.5 to 7
Drainage
Well drained
Water
Moderate
Spacing
71 to 118 in apart
Growth rate
Fast
Maintenance
Low

Where Panicle Hydrangea 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.

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 — 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 — 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 Panicle Hydrangea

Is Panicle Hydrangea deer resistant?
Panicle Hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) 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 Panicle Hydrangea grow in?
Panicle Hydrangea is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
Does Panicle Hydrangea grow in shade?
Yes. Panicle Hydrangea tolerates part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
How big does Panicle Hydrangea get?
Mature height is roughly 96–300 in. Growth rate is fast.
Is Panicle Hydrangea toxic to dogs or cats?
Yes. The ASPCA lists Panicle Hydrangea 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.

Browse from here

Every list Panicle Hydrangea belongs to.

All shrubs·Sometimes destroyed·Part shade plants

Hardy in these zones

Zone 3·Zone 4·Zone 5·Zone 6·Zone 7·Zone 8

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 .