Is Rock-Cress deer resistant?
Arabis caucasica
Plant typePerennialHardinessZones 4–7LightFull sunMature height6–12 inBloomSpring
MaintenanceModerate
Native range7 US states
About Rock-Cress
White spring flowers over grey mats, for wall tops and gravel. Rots quickly in heavy wet soil, so drainage matters more than feeding.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 6 to 7.5
- Drainage
- Sharp, gritty. Will rot in wet soil
- Water
- Low
- Spacing
- 10 to 14 in apart
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Maintenance
- Moderate
Similar to Rock-Cress
Other perennials with the same deer rating.
- Anise HyssopAgastache sp.Zones 4–9, genus rangeRarely damaged
- Basket of GoldAurinia saxatilisZones 3–7Rarely damaged
- Bearded IrisIris germanicaZones 3–9Rarely damaged
- Bigleaf GoldenrayLigularia dentataZones 4–8Rarely damaged
- Bleeding HeartLamprocapnos spectabilisZones 3–9Rarely damaged
- Butter and EggsLinaria vulgarisZones 3–9Rarely damaged
Where Rock-Cress 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.
- Pennsylvania
- New Jersey
- New Yorknative
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Virginianative
- Maryland
- Michigannative
- Wisconsinnative
- Ohio
- Indiana
- Illinois
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- North Carolina
- Tennesseenative
- Georgia
- Texas
- Colorado
- California
- Oregon
- Washington
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Mainenative
- Rhode Island
- Delaware
- West Virginia
- Kentuckynative
- South Carolina
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- Iowa
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Alaska
- District of Columbia
Highlighted states are within its native range according to the USDA PLANTS database, where it is native to 7 US states in total.
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Every list Rock-Cress belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Rock-Cress
- Is Rock-Cress deer resistant?
- Rock-Cress (Arabis caucasica) is rated Rarely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Deer almost always leave this alone.
- What hardiness zones does Rock-Cress grow in?
- Rock-Cress is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 7. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does Rock-Cress grow in shade?
- No. Rock-Cress wants full sun and will grow thin and flop in shade.
- How big does Rock-Cress get?
- Mature height is roughly 6–12 in. Growth rate is moderate.