Deer Resistant Plants

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For added diversity in plant choices, select more than one species or variety from each genus.

Note:*means that they will eat this plant if starving but tend to stay away from it under normal conditions OR many lists and books continuously state these plants are deer resistant and I haven't had personal experience with them. 

Every yard, every neighborhood is different and a lot depends on the deer pressure and size of the herd in your area. This list will be updated over time as we all continue to observe and learn.

 

Annuals

 Agastache                                          Anise Hyssop (Tender Varieties)

*Ageratum                                         Floss flower

Artichoke

Calendula                                           Pot Marigold

Calla                                                  Calla Lily (tender bulb)

Cleome                                              Spider Flower

*Delphinium ajacis                            Larkspur

Datura, Brugmansia                           Angel's Trumpet                     

Ipomoea                                             Morning Glory

Lantana

Leonatis leonurus                              Lion’s mane

*Nicotiana                                         Flowering Tobacco

Osteospermum                                  African Daisy

Papaver spp.                                      Poppy             

Ricinus                                               Castor Bean                           

Salvia                                                  Sages, ornamental Salvias

Tagetes                                               Marigold including Signet types (Lemon and Tangerine gems)

 

Bulbs

Allium                                                Ornamental onion

Colchicum                                         Autumn Crocus                      

Eranthis spp.                                      Winter aconite 

Frittilaria spp.                                    Crown imperial

Galanthus                                           Snowdrops

Leucojum                                           Summer Snowflake

Muscari spp.                                      Grape hyacinth 

Narcissus                                           Daffodils

Nectaroscordium siculum                  Sicilian honey garlic

 

  All Ferns

  All Ornamental Grasses

Perennials and Biennials

Achillea                                               Yarrow                       

Aconitum spp.                                     Monkshood                            

Actaea spp.                                         Doll’s eyes, snakeroot, baneberry   

Agastache                                            Anise hyssop              

*Alchemilla mollis                              Lady's Mantle

Allium   ornamental spp.                    Summer onion

Anthemis tinctoria                               Perennial marguerite

*Aquilegia                                           Columbine

Amsonia spp.                                      Blue star                     

Aralia ‘Sun King’, A. racemosa 

Arisima spp.                                        Jack in the pulpit 

Artemesia spp.

Asarum spp.                                        Ginger 

Asclepias pp.                                       Milkweed, butterfly weed 

Aster (Symphyotrichum) oblongifolius      Aromatic aster 

*Astilbe

Aurinia saxatalis                                  Basket of gold

Baptisia                                                False indigo   

Brunnera macrophylla                         Perennial heartleaf forget-me-not

Calamintha spp.                                  Calamint                                             

Caltha palustris                                    Marsh marigold

*Centranthus ruber                              Jupiter's Beard, Red Valerian

Ceratostigma                                       Leadwort

Cerastium tomentosum                        Snow in Summer                    

Convallaria majalis                              Lily of the Valley

*Delphinium                                        Delphinium                            

Dicentra spp.                                       Bleeding Heart (old fashioned and dwarf)

Dianthus spp.                                      Pinks, carnation, sweet William (Biennial) 

Digitalis spp.                                       Foxgloves (perennial and biennial forms)   

Echinops                                              Globe thistle 

Epimedium                                          Barrenwort

Erigeron pulchellus                             Robin’s plantain

Eryngium spp.                                     Sea holly 

Euphorbia spp. and var.                      Euphorbia, spurge                  

Gaultheria procumbens                       Wintergreen 

Geranium macrorrhizum                     Cranesbill geraniums (wont eat most, this one is extra aromatic)

Geum                                                  Avens

Gilenia (Porteranthus)                         Bowman’s root 

Helleborus spp.                                   Christmas, Lenten rose

Heuchera                                             Coral bells, alum root

*Hypericum calcynum                        St. Johnswort ground cover

Iberis sempervirens                              Candytuft

*Iris                                                     Iris

*Kniphofia                                          Red Hot Poker

Lamium spp.                                       Dead Nettles

Liatris                                                  Gayfeather 

Ligularia                                             Leopard plant

Lobelia spp.                                         Cardinal flower  

Lupinus                                               Lupine

Lychnis coronaria                                Rose campion                         

Mitchella repens                                  Partridge berry

*Myosotis                                            Forget-me-not

Nepeta spp.                                          Catmint          

Origanum spp.                                     Ornamental oreganos such as ‘Herrenhausen’

*Packera spp.                                      Golden groundsel 

Papaver orientale                                 Oriental Poppy   Contains a bitter sap

*Parthenium integrifolium                   Wild quinine

*Paeonia                                              Peony

Penstemon spp.                                   Beard tongue 

Perovskia                                             Russian Sage

Persicaria amplexicaulis                      Smartweed

Polemonium                                        Jacob’s ladder 

Primula spp.                                        Primrose

Pulmonaria                                          Lungwort 

Pycnanthemum spp.                            Mountain mint

Trollius                                                Globeflower

Rudbeckia subtomentosa                    Sweet coneflower 

Rumex sanguineus var. sanguineus    Ornamental Dock

Salvia spp.                                           Ornamental sages                                 

Silene                                                   Catchfly 

Sisyrinchium spp.                               Blue eyed grass 

Scuttelaria spp.                                    Skullcap 

Stokesia                                               Stoke’s aster 

Solidago spp.                                      Goldenrod

Stachys spp.                                        Lamb's Ears, betony                                      

Tanacetum spp.                                   Feverfew, Tansy

Tiarella spp.                                         Foamflower

Verbascum                                           Mullein

*Veronica                                            Veronica                                 

 

  Herbs    These are herbs used for ornamental value   A = Annual      P= Perennial    B = Biennial

Agastache                                            Anise Hyssop                                      A or P

Alliums                                                Chives, garlic chives                           P

Artemesia spp.                                                                                                P

Borago                                                Borage                                                 A

Foeniculum                                         Fennel  (incl. Bronze Fennel)                  P

Galium odoratum                                Woodruff                                             P

Hyssopus                                             Hyssop                                                P

Lavendula                                           Lavender                                              P

Ocimum basilicum                              Basil                                                     A

(incl. purple leaf types-very ornamental)        

Origanum                                            Oregano and marjoram                       P

(incl golden forms, ornamental varieties)       

Perilla frutescens                                 Beefsteak plant                                    A

Petrosolinum                                       Parsley                                                 B

Pycnanthemum                                    Mountain Mint                                    P

Ruta graveolens                                   Rue                                                      P

Salvia                                                  Sages                                                   P

Santolina                                             Lavender cotton                                  P

Tanacetum vulgare                              Tansy                                                   P

Teucrium spp.                                     Germander                                          P

Tulbaghia violacea                              Society Garlic                                     A

Thymus                                               Thyme                                                 P

 

  Trees and Shrubs

Abelia spp.                               

Abeliophyllum distichum                    White forsythia 

Arctostophyllos                                   Bearberry 

Asimina triloba                                    Paw paw 

Buddleia                                              Butterfly Bush

Buxus spp. and var.                             Boxwood        

Callicarpa spp.                                     Beautyberry

*Calluna                                              Heather

Calycanthus floridus                            Carolina allspice

Caryopteris                                          Blue Mist Shrub

Cephalanthus occidentalis                  Button bush 

Chionanthus spp.                                 Fringe tree 

Clethra alnifolia                                   Summersweet 

Comptomia peregrina                          Sweet fern

*Corylus avellana 'Contorta'               Harry Lauder's Walking Stick

Cotinus spp.                                        Smokebush

*Cytisus                                               Scotch Broom

Daphne spp.

Deutzia spp. 

Diervilla                                              Bush honeysuckle 

Enkianthus                                           Redvein Enkianthus

*Erica                                                  Heath

Fothergilla spp.                                   Witch alder 

Hypericum                                           St. Johnswort

Indigofera                                            Indigo

*Ilex opaca                                          American holly

*Juniperus                                           Junipers  

*Kalmia                                               Mt. Laurel

Lespedeza spp.                                    Bush clover

Leucothoe spp. and var.                      Dog hobble

Magnolia spp.                                      Magnolia 

Myrica (Morella) pennsylvanica         Bayberry

Picea                                                    Spruce 

*Pieris                                                  Andromeda

Rosa rugosa                                         Beach rose (other roses are often eaten by deer)

Sarcoccoca hookeriana                        Himalayan sweet box                          

Spiraea spp.                                         Spirea  (incl. spring and summer blooming forms)

Syringa spp.                                        Lilac 

*Viburnum spp.                                   (Deer browse varies by species.)

                                                             V. carlesii, V. tomentosum very resistant

Vitex agnus-caste                                Chaste tree

Weigela                         

Yucca filamentosa                                Yucca

 

In an effort to provide horticultural information, these educational documents are written by Nancy DuBrule-Clemente and are the property of Natureworks Horticultural Services, LLC.  You are granted permission to print/photocopy this educational information free of charge as long as you clearly show that these are Natureworks documents.