My Deer Garden

Plant record · Shrub

Is Privet deer resistant?

Ligustrum sp.

Privet hedge foliage
Photo by Frank Vincentz, CC BY-SA 3.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Damage step 2 of 4 · Seldom Severely Damaged

Mostly. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.

Type
Shrub
Hardiness
Zones 5–8, genus range
Light
Part shade
Bloom
Spring
Maintenance
High
Toxic to
dogs, cats, and horses

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

About Privet

Fast, cheap and takes any amount of clipping, which is why it is the default hedge in older gardens. It is also invasive across much of the eastern and southern United States, where birds spread the berries into woodland, and is banned in some states. Consider inkberry or a native viburnum instead.

Soil and care

Soil pH
5.5 to 7.5
Drainage
Average garden soil
Water
Moderate
Spacing
24 to 35 in apart
Growth rate
Fast
Maintenance
High

Similar to Privet

Other shrubs with the same deer rating.

Where Privet grows

Hardy across 49 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 — not 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 Privet

Is Privet deer resistant?
Privet (Ligustrum sp.) is rated Seldom Severely Damaged, step 2 of 4 on the damage scale this site uses. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
What hardiness zones does Privet grow in?
Privet is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 8. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat. That is the range across the genus, so a named species or cultivar may be narrower.
Does Privet grow in shade?
Yes. Privet tolerates part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
Is Privet toxic to dogs or cats?
Yes. The ASPCA lists Privet 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.
Is Privet invasive?
Privet is listed as invasive or restricted in GA, AL, MS, TN, NC, SC, FL, VA, TX, AR, LA, KY. Deer leaving it alone is not a reason to plant it. Check your own state before buying.

Browse from here

Every list Privet belongs to.

All shrubs·Seldom damaged·Part shade plants

Hardy in these zones

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 .