Is Spicebush deer resistant?
Lindera benzoin
Plant typeShrubHardinessZones 5–9LightFull shade to part shade
Mature height96–180 in
BloomSpringMaintenanceLow, mostly leave it alone
Native range33 US states
About Spicebush
Crushed leaves and twigs smell strongly of citrus and allspice, which is what keeps deer off. Yellow flowers on bare stems very early, then clear butter-yellow autumn colour in shade. Host plant for the spicebush swallowtail. Female plants carry red fruit if a male is nearby.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 5 to 6.5
- Drainage
- Consistently moist
- Water
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 59 to 94 in apart
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Maintenance
- Low
Similar to Spicebush
Other shrubs with the same deer rating.
- Antelope BitterbrushPurshia tridentataSeldom damaged
- Anthony Waterer SpireaSpiraea x bumaldaZones 3–8Seldom damaged
- Apache PlumeFallugia paradoxaZones 6–10Seldom damaged
- Armstrong JuniperJuniperus chinensis 'Armstrongii'Zones 4–9Seldom damaged
- Autumn OliveElaeagnus umbellataZones 4–9Seldom damaged
- Autumn SageSalvia greggiiZones 6–9Seldom damaged
Where Spicebush grows
Hardy across most of these 50 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
- Wisconsin
- Ohionative
- Indiananative
- Illinoisnative
- Minnesota
- Missourinative
- North Carolinanative
- Tennesseenative
- Georgianative
- Texasnative
- Colorado
- California
- Oregon
- Washington
- New Hampshirenative
- Vermontnative
- Mainenative
- Rhode Islandnative
- Delawarenative
- West Virginianative
- Kentuckynative
- South Carolinanative
- Floridanative
- Alabamanative
- Mississippinative
- Louisiananative
- Arkansasnative
- Oklahomanative
- Kansasnative
- Nebraska
- Iowanative
- South Dakota
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Alaska
- District of Columbianative
- Hawaii
Highlighted states are within its native range according to the USDA PLANTS database, where it is native to 33 US states in total.
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Every list Spicebush belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Spicebush
- Is Spicebush deer resistant?
- Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) is rated Seldom Severely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
- What hardiness zones does Spicebush grow in?
- Spicebush is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does Spicebush grow in shade?
- Yes. Spicebush tolerates full shade to part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
- How big does Spicebush get?
- Mature height is roughly 96–180 in. Growth rate is moderate.