Deer-Resistant Plants

These are plants often overlooked by deer. However, deer may still eat the tender, new growth of some of these plants. Deer tend to dislike fuzzy and aromatic leaves, and spiny, bristle-like textures.

Botanical Name Common Name(s)
Aconitum napellus Monkshood
Actaea racemosa Black Cohosh
Agapanthus African Lily
Ageratum houstonianum Floss Flower
Alchemilla mollis Lady’s Mantle
Antirrhinum majus Snapdragon
Aquilegia Columbine, Granny’s Bonnett
Athyrium niponicum Japanese Painted Fern
Baccharis pilularis (dwarf cultivars) Dwarf Coyote Brush
Bamboo-Various Bamboos
Baptisia species False Indigo
Berberis species (not purple-leafed varieties) Barberry
Bouteloua curtipendula Sideoats Grama
Buddleia species Butterfly Bush
Buxus sempervirens English Boxwood
Carex morrowii Japanese Sedge
Chaenomeles Japanese Quince
Choisya ternata Mexican Orange Blossom
Cistus Rock Rose, Sun Rose
Clematis Old Man’s Beard
Continus coggygria (not purple-leafed varieties) European Smoketree
Convallaria majalis Lily-of-the-Valley
Cornus sanguinea Dogwood
Cortaderia selloana Pampas Grass
Daphne Spurge Laurels
Delphinium Larkspur
Dicentra eximia Fringed Bleeding Heart
Digitalis Foxglove
Echinacea purpurea Purple Coneflower
Echinops Globe Thistles
Euphorbia Spurges
Forsythia Forsythia
Fragaria chiloensis / x ananassa Ornamental Strawberry
Gaultheria shallon Oregon Wintergreen
Helleborus Hellebores
Hippophae rhamnoides Seaberry, Sea Buckthorn
Hydrangea Hydrangea
Hypericum St. John’s Wort
Isotoma species Isotoma
Jasminium Jasmine (winter and summer types)
Juniperus species Juniper
Kerria japonica Kerria
Kniphofia Red Hot Pokers
Lantana sellowiana / montevidensis Trailing Lantana
Lantana species Lantana, Big-Sage, Wild-Sage, Tickberry
Laurus nobilis Sweet Bay
Lavandula Lavender
Leucanthemum x superbum Shasta daisy
Lonicera species Honeysuckles
Lupinus Lupins
Magnolia Magnolia
Mahonia Mahonia
Monarda bradburiana Bradbury’s Beebalm, Eastern Beebalm
Monarda didyma Scarlet Beebalm, Bergamot
Narcissus Daffodils
Nepeta x faassenii Catmint
Nerine Nerine
Oenothera lindheimeri (formerly Gaura lindheimeri) Lindheimer’s Beeblossom, Gaura, Lindheimer’s Clockweed, Indian Feather
Pachysandra terminalis Japanese Pachysandra
Paeonia species Peony
Perovskia atriplicifolia Russian Sage
Philadelphus Mock Orange
Phormium tenax New Zealand Flax
Potentilla fructicosa Bush Cinquefoil
Rheum rhabarbarum Rhubarb
Ribes Currant, Gooseberry
Robinia pseudoacacia False Acacia
Romneya coulteri California Poppy
Rosa rugosa Beach Rose
Rosa spinosissima Scothc Rose
Rosmarinus officinalis Rosemary
Santolina species Santolina
Schizachyrium scoparium Little Bluestem, Beard Grass
Scutellaria incana Hoary Skullcap
Senecio cineraria Dusty Miller
Spiraea japonica Japanese Spirea
Tagetes tenuifolia Signet Marigold
Trachelospermum jasminoides Star Jasmine
Verbena Garden Verbena
Vernonia lettermannii Ironweed
Viburnum(deciduous types) Viburnum
Vinca major Bigleaf Periwinkle, Blue Periwinkle
Vinca minor Vinca / Periwinkle
Weigela Weigela
Yucca Yucca

Subscribe to the Global Garden Lab Newsletter Blog.

© 2018 Global Garden Lab. All rights reserved.

SaveSave