Is Red Elderberry deer resistant?
Sambucus racemosa
Toxic to cats and dogs if eaten
About Red Elderberry
Scarlet berry clusters that birds strip within days. The raw berries, and all the green parts, are toxic to people, unlike the black-fruited elder.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 5.5 to 7
- Drainage
- Consistently moist
- Water
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 94 to 142 in apart
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Maintenance
- Moderate
Similar to Red Elderberry
Other shrubs with the same deer rating.
- Arrowwood ViburnumViburnum dentatumZones 2–8Rarely damaged
- BarberryBerberis sp.Zones 4–8, genus rangeRarely damaged
- BayberryMyrica pensylvanicaZones 3–7Rarely damaged
- Blue Mist ShrubCaryopteris clandonensisZones 6–9Rarely damaged
- BoxwoodBuxus sempervirensZones 5–8Rarely damaged
- BroomCytisus sp.Zones 5–8, genus rangeRarely damaged
Where Red Elderberry grows
Hardy across most of these 48 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering.
- Pennsylvanianative
- New Jerseynative
- New Yorknative
- Connecticutnative
- Massachusettsnative
- Virginianative
- Marylandnative
- Michigannative
- Wisconsinnative
- Ohionative
- Indiananative
- Illinoisnative
- Minnesotanative
- Missourinative
- North Carolinanative
- Tennesseenative
- Georgianative
- Texas
- Coloradonative
- Californianative
- Oregonnative
- Washingtonnative
- New Hampshirenative
- Vermontnative
- Mainenative
- Rhode Islandnative
- Delaware
- West Virginianative
- Kentuckynative
- South Carolina
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- Iowanative
- North Dakotanative
- South Dakotanative
- Montananative
- Wyomingnative
- Idahonative
- Utahnative
- Nevadanative
- Arizonanative
- New Mexiconative
- Alaskanative
- District of Columbia
Highlighted states are within its native range according to the USDA PLANTS database, where it is native to 38 US states in total.
Browse from here
Every list Red Elderberry belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Red Elderberry
- Is Red Elderberry deer resistant?
- Red Elderberry (Sambucus racemosa) is rated Rarely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Deer almost always leave this alone.
- What hardiness zones does Red Elderberry grow in?
- Red Elderberry is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 7. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does Red Elderberry grow in shade?
- Yes. Red Elderberry tolerates part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
- Is Red Elderberry toxic to dogs or cats?
- Yes. The ASPCA lists Red Elderberry as toxic to dogs and cats. Site it away from where animals graze, or choose something else if you have a dog that chews.