My Deer Garden

Plant record · Tree

Is Pitch Pine deer resistant?

Pinus rigida

Pitch pines on a rocky ridge
Photo by Famartin, CC BY-SA 3.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Damage step 1 of 4 · Rarely Damaged

Yes. Deer almost always leave this alone.

Type
Tree
Hardiness
Zones 4–7
Light
Full sun
Height
480–720 in
Bloom
Spring
Maintenance
Low
Native range
2 US states

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

About Pitch Pine

Grows on bare sand and rock where nothing else will establish. Unusually among pines it resprouts after fire, which is why it dominates the New Jersey Pine Barrens.

Soil and care

Soil pH
4.5 to 6
Drainage
Sharp, gritty. Will rot in wet soil
Water
Low
Spacing
177 to 236 in apart
Growth rate
Moderate
Maintenance
Low

Tolerances and uses

Evergreen

Similar to Pitch Pine

Other trees with the same deer rating.

Where Pitch Pine grows

Hardy across 48 states on zone range alone, and native to 2 of them. 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 — native, and hardy. 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 — native, and hardy. 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.
Native and hardyHardy on zone rangeNot hardy — still linked
Choose a state from the listeasier on a phone

Common questions about Pitch Pine

Is Pitch Pine deer resistant?
Pitch Pine (Pinus rigida) is rated Rarely Damaged, step 1 of 4 on the damage scale this site uses. Deer almost always leave this alone.
What hardiness zones does Pitch Pine grow in?
Pitch Pine is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 7. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
Does Pitch Pine grow in shade?
No. Pitch Pine wants full sun and will grow thin and flop in shade.
How big does Pitch Pine get?
Mature height is roughly 480–720 in. Growth rate is moderate.

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Every list Pitch Pine belongs to.

All trees·Rarely damaged·Full sun plants·Mast and fruit trees·Evergreen shrubs

Hardy in these zones

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 .