Is Yucca deer resistant?
Yucca filamentosa
Plant typePerennialHardinessZones 4–10LightFull sun
Mature height36–96 in
BloomSpring and SummerMaintenanceLow, mostly leave it alone
Native range29 US states
Toxic to cats and dogs if eaten
About Yucca
Stiff spine-tipped leaves and a tall spike of cream bells. Effectively permanent once planted, since any root fragment left behind will regrow.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 6 to 7.5
- Drainage
- Sharp, gritty. Will rot in wet soil
- Water
- Low
- Spacing
- 24 to 35 in apart
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Maintenance
- Low
Similar to Yucca
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 Yucca 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
- Minnesota
- Missourinative
- North Carolinanative
- Tennesseenative
- Georgianative
- Texasnative
- Colorado
- California
- Oregon
- Washington
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Maine
- Rhode Islandnative
- Delawarenative
- West Virginianative
- Kentuckynative
- South Carolinanative
- Floridanative
- Alabamanative
- Mississippinative
- Louisiananative
- Arkansasnative
- Oklahoma
- Kansasnative
- Nebraskanative
- Iowa
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Alaska
- District of Columbia
- Hawaii
Highlighted states are within its native range according to the USDA PLANTS database, where it is native to 29 US states in total.
Browse from here
Every list Yucca belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Yucca
- Is Yucca deer resistant?
- Yucca (Yucca filamentosa) is rated Rarely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Deer almost always leave this alone.
- What hardiness zones does Yucca grow in?
- Yucca is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 10. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does Yucca grow in shade?
- No. Yucca wants full sun and will grow thin and flop in shade.
- How big does Yucca get?
- Mature height is roughly 36–96 in. Growth rate is slow.
- Is Yucca toxic to dogs or cats?
- Yes. The ASPCA lists Yucca 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.