My Deer Garden

Plant record · Perennial

Is Rose Mallow deer resistant?

Hibiscus moscheutos

Large pink rose mallow flower
Photo by The Cosmonaut, CC BY-SA 2.5 ca. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Damage step 3 of 4 · Occasionally Severely Damaged

Partly. Browsed where deer pressure is high. Protect it.

Type
Perennial
Hardiness
Zones 4–9
Light
Full sun
Height
24–72 in
Bloom
Summer and Fall
Maintenance
Moderate
Native range
31 US states

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

About Rose Mallow

Dinner-plate flowers on a hardy native perennial that dies to the ground each winter, unlike the tropical hibiscus it resembles. It emerges very late, often not until late May, so mark the position. Wants wet ground and full sun. Japanese beetles love the flowers.

Protecting Rose Mallow

Whether this survives comes down to local pressure, so decide on the options before it gets browsed rather than after.

  1. 1How tall a deer fence needs to beEight feet, and six is the most common expensive mistake in deer fencing.
  2. 2Repellent that actually worksThe egg-based recipe that reproduces the active ingredient in the commercial sprays that win university trials.
  3. 3Check 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.

What to plant instead of Rose Mallow

Same plant type, hardy in the same zones, and rated better for deer. If Rose Mallow keeps getting eaten, these go in the same spot.

Soil and care

Soil pH
5.5 to 7
Drainage
Consistently moist
Water
High
Spacing
35 to 47 in apart
Growth rate
Fast
Maintenance
Moderate

Where Rose Mallow grows

Hardy across every state on zone range alone, and native to 31 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 — native, and hardy. 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 — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Delaware — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 7.District of Columbia — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 8.Florida — native, and hardy. Zones 8 to 11.Georgia — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 9.Hawaii — hardy here. Zones 9 to 12.Idaho — hardy here. Zones 3 to 7.Illinois — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Indiana — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 6.Iowa — hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Kansas — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Kentucky — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 7.Louisiana — native, and hardy. Zones 8 to 10.Maine — hardy here. 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 — hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Mississippi — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 9.Missouri — native, and hardy. 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 — 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 — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.North Dakota — hardy here. Zones 3 to 4.Ohio — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 6.Oklahoma — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.Oregon — hardy here. Zones 6 to 9.Pennsylvania — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Rhode Island — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 7.South Carolina — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 9.South Dakota — hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Tennessee — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.Texas — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 9.Utah — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 9.Vermont — hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Virginia — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.Washington — hardy here. Zones 5 to 8.West Virginia — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Wisconsin — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 5.Wyoming — hardy here. 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 Rose Mallow

Is Rose Mallow deer resistant?
Rose Mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos) is rated Occasionally Severely Damaged, step 3 of 4 on the damage scale this site uses. Browsed where deer pressure is high. Protect it.
What hardiness zones does Rose Mallow grow in?
Rose Mallow is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
Does Rose Mallow grow in shade?
No. Rose Mallow wants full sun and will grow thin and flop in shade.
How big does Rose Mallow get?
Mature height is roughly 24–72 in. Growth rate is fast.

Browse from here

Every list Rose Mallow belongs to.

All perennials·Sometimes destroyed·Full sun plants

Hardy in these zones

Zone 4·Zone 5·Zone 6·Zone 7·Zone 8·Zone 9

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 .