Salal is grown for its foliage and the structure it brings to a planting. It's hardy across USDA zones 8 through 13 and shrugs off deer. Its mid spring flowers are a moderate draw for native bees.
Zones
8-13
pH Range
5.5-7
Sun
Shade
Days to Maturity
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Score Salal on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether salal actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score salal against your land's real conditions.
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What Salal is
Salal grows as a perennial and reaches around five feet at maturity. It blooms white in mid spring. It's also deer-resistant.
How to grow Salal
Salal grows in USDA zones 8 through 13. Salal does best in shade — at least 2 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 5.5 to 7. It needs a growing season of at least 200 frost-free days and about 400 hours of winter chill, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
8-13
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
5.5 - 7
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Shade
plant_species_v5.csv
Drainage
Data pending
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost Tolerance
7°F
plant_species_v5.csv
Mature Height
5 ft
plant_species_v5.csv
Chill Hours
400+
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost-Free Days
200+
plant_species_v5.csv
Start the season right
Plant salal in shade with at least 2 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
Salal prefers pH 5.5 to 7 (USDA PLANTS Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. Match watering to the plant's drainage preference and your local rainfall.
Keep it in good form
Prune salal to shape as it grows; the reward is its foliage and structure, not a harvest, so steady upkeep is the whole job.
Good to know
Good news for pet owners — salal isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)
Salal offers moderate value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership.)
Where Salal thrives
Salal is hardy across USDA zones 8 through 13. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
Zones 8–13·Where Salal growsOpen map →
Continental US shown — Alaska and US Pacific territories sit outside the federal map's polygon dataset.
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, Salal can grow in these states:
See if Salal will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether salal actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Salal in my zone?
Salal grows in USDA hardiness zones 8 through 13 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Salal?
Most growers plant salal after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed, leaving enough of the season for its 200-day frost-free need. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Salal need?
Salal is shade-tolerant — it gets by on as little as 2 hours of direct sun, so it earns a place most vegetables can't use. A north-facing strip or the ground under a leafy canopy is right where it belongs. A Growable Ground report shows which corners of your land stay shaded through the day, turning those dim spots into planting spots.
What soil does Salal need?
Salal prefers soil pH 5.5 to 7 (USDA PLANTS Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Salal attract pollinators?
Yes — salal's flowers are a solid nectar source for native bees (Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership).
Is Salal safe for pets?
Salal is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data (ASPCA). Always supervise pets around new plantings.