Is White Snakeroot deer resistant?
Ageratina altissima
Plant typePerennialHardinessZones 3–9LightFull shade to part shadeMature height24–60 inBloomSummer and Fall
MaintenanceModerate
Native range38 US states
About White Snakeroot
Fluffy white flowers in autumn shade, and the dark-leaved cultivars are genuinely good. It is also seriously toxic: cattle that graze it pass the poison into milk, which killed settlers in the nineteenth century. Keep it away from grazing land, and expect it to self-sow.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 5.5 to 7
- Drainage
- Consistently moist
- Water
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 18 to 24 in apart
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Maintenance
- Moderate
Similar to White Snakeroot
Other perennials with the same deer rating.
- African LilyAgapanthus sp.Zones 8–11, genus rangeSeldom damaged
- AsparagusAsparagus officinalisZones 2–9Seldom damaged
- AsterAster sp.Zones 3–8, genus rangeSeldom damaged
- AstilbeAstilbe x arendsiiZones 3–8Seldom damaged
- Baby's BreathGypsophila sp.Zones 3–9, genus rangeSeldom damaged
- BastardsageEriogonum wrightiiZones 5–10Seldom damaged
Where White Snakeroot grows
Hardy across most of these 51 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
- Wisconsinnative
- Ohionative
- Indiananative
- Illinoisnative
- Minnesotanative
- 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
- Nebraskanative
- Iowanative
- North Dakotanative
- South Dakotanative
- 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 38 US states in total.
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Every list White Snakeroot belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about White Snakeroot
- Is White Snakeroot deer resistant?
- White Snakeroot (Ageratina altissima) is rated Seldom Severely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
- What hardiness zones does White Snakeroot grow in?
- White Snakeroot is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does White Snakeroot grow in shade?
- Yes. White Snakeroot tolerates full shade to part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
- How big does White Snakeroot get?
- Mature height is roughly 24–60 in. Growth rate is fast.
- Is White Snakeroot toxic to dogs or cats?
- Not to dogs or cats — the ASPCA lists White Snakeroot as toxic to horses only. Worth knowing if you keep any; the ASPCA does not list it as a risk to dogs or cats.