My Deer Garden

Plant record · Shrub

Is Red Osier Dogwood deer resistant?

Cornus sericea

Bright red winter stems of red osier dogwood
Photo by Sulfur, 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 2–7
Light
Part shade
Height
60–108 in
Bloom
Spring and Summer
Maintenance
Moderate
Native range
37 US states

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

About Red Osier Dogwood

Grown for the winter stems, and the color only comes on young wood, so cut a third of the oldest stems to the ground every spring. Native, thrives in wet ground, and excellent for streambank stabilization. Older neglected plants go dull brown and need renovating hard.

Soil and care

Soil pH
5.5 to 7
Drainage
Tolerates wet feet
Water
High
Spacing
59 to 94 in apart
Growth rate
Fast
Maintenance
Moderate

Similar to Red Osier Dogwood

Other shrubs with the same deer rating.

Where Red Osier Dogwood grows

Hardy across 48 states on zone range alone, and native to 37 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 — native, and hardy. Zones 1 to 8.Arizona — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 10.Arkansas — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.California — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 10.Colorado — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 6.Connecticut — native, and hardy. 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 — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 7.Illinois — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Indiana — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 6.Iowa — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 6.Kansas — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Kentucky — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 7.Louisiana — not hardy here. Zones 8 to 10.Maine — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 6.Maryland — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.Massachusetts — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Michigan — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 6.Minnesota — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 5.Mississippi — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Missouri — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Montana — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 6.Nebraska — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 6.Nevada — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 9.New Hampshire — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 6.New Jersey — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 7.New Mexico — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 9.New York — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 7.North Carolina — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.North Dakota — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 4.Ohio — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 6.Oklahoma — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Oregon — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 9.Pennsylvania — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Rhode Island — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 7.South Carolina — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.South Dakota — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 5.Tennessee — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Texas — hardy here. Zones 6 to 9.Utah — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 9.Vermont — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 5.Virginia — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.Washington — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 8.West Virginia — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Wisconsin — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 5.Wyoming — native, and hardy. 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 Red Osier Dogwood

Is Red Osier Dogwood deer resistant?
Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea) 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 Red Osier Dogwood grow in?
Red Osier Dogwood is hardy in USDA zones 2 to 7. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
Does Red Osier Dogwood grow in shade?
Yes. Red Osier Dogwood tolerates part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
How big does Red Osier Dogwood get?
Mature height is roughly 60–108 in. Growth rate is fast.

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Every list Red Osier Dogwood belongs to.

All shrubs·Seldom damaged·Part shade plants

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 .