Is Rhododendron deer resistant?
Rhododendron sp.
Deer will destroy this. Do not plant it unprotected.
Rating source: Rutgers NJAES E271
Toxic to cats and dogs if eaten
About Rhododendron
Evergreen leaves make the whole genus a winter browse target, and where deer are resident an unprotected rhododendron will be stripped as high as they can reach. All species need acid soil that holds moisture but drains sharply, which is why they fail in clay. Every part is toxic.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 4.5 to 6
- Drainage
- Consistently moist
- Water
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 71 to 118 in apart
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Maintenance
- Moderate
Deer-resistant alternatives to Rhododendron
Same plant type, hardy in the same zones, but rated better on the Rutgers scale. If Rhododendron keeps getting eaten, these go in the same spot.
- Arrowwood ViburnumViburnum dentatumZones 2–8Rarely damaged
- BarberryBerberis sp.Zones 4–8, genus rangeRarely damaged
- Blackhaw ViburnumViburnum prunifoliumZones 3–9Seldom damaged
- BoxwoodBuxus sempervirensZones 5–8Rarely damaged
- Carolina SilverbellHalesia carolinaZones 4–8Seldom damaged
- Coast LeucothoeLeucothoe axillarisZones 5–8Seldom damaged
Similar to Rhododendron
Other shrubs with the same deer rating.
Protecting Rhododendron
Deer will destroy this without protection, so the question is which kind you are willing to pay for.
- How tall a deer fence needs to beEight feet, and six is the most common expensive mistake in deer fencing.
- What a deer fence costsMaterial ratios are stable even when prices are not, and installation reliably doubles the figure.
- Repellent that actually worksThe egg-based recipe that reproduces the active ingredient in the commercial sprays that win university trials.
- Check 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.
Where Rhododendron grows
Hardy across most of these 49 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering.
- Pennsylvania
- New Jersey
- New York
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Virginia
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Wisconsin
- Ohio
- Indiana
- Illinois
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- North Carolina
- Tennessee
- Georgia
- Texas
- Colorado
- California
- Oregon
- Washington
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Maine
- Rhode Island
- Delaware
- West Virginia
- Kentucky
- South Carolina
- Florida
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- Louisiana
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- Iowa
- South Dakota
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Alaska
- District of Columbia
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Every list Rhododendron belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Rhododendron
- Is Rhododendron deer resistant?
- Rhododendron (Rhododendron sp.) is rated Frequently Severely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Deer will destroy this. Do not plant it unprotected.
- What hardiness zones does Rhododendron grow in?
- Rhododendron 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 Rhododendron grow in shade?
- Yes. Rhododendron tolerates part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
- Is Rhododendron toxic to dogs or cats?
- Yes. The ASPCA lists Rhododendron 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.