While no plant is entirely deer-proof, many plants are unappealing to deer due to their scent, texture, or toxicity. In general, deer tend to avoid:
- Aromatic plants with strong scents
- Plants with thorns or sharp foliage
- Toxic plants that may cause illness
- Fuzzy or coarse-leaved plants
Deer Resistant Trees
These trees are rarely or seldom severely damaged by deer:
- Arborvitae, Green Giant
- Arborvitae, Zebrina
- Amelanchier
- Birch, River
- Beech
- Cedar, Blue Atlas & Weeping
- Cherry, Flowering varieties
- Cypress, Hinoki
- Dogwood, varieties
- Gum, Sweet
- Gum, Black
- Holly, American
- Holly, Nellie Stevens
- Honey Locust
- Magnolias, Sweetbay
- Magnolia, Royal Star
- Magnolia, Saucer varieties
- Oaks, varieties
- Pine, Black
- Pine, White
- Redbud varieties
- Spruce, Colorado
- Spruce, Dwarf Alberta
- Sycamore
- Zelkova
Deer-Resistant Shrubs
- Althea (Rose of Sharon)
- Barberry varieties
- Boxwood varieties
- Butterfly Bush
- Caryopteris
- Clethra
- Cotoneaster varieties
- Dogwood, Red Twig
- Forsythia
- Holly, Inkberry
- Lilac varieties
- Nandina varieties
- Pieris Japonica
- Spirea varieties
- Vitex varieties
Deer-Resistant Perennials
- Achillea
- Agastache
- Aquilegia
- Baptisia
- Coreopsis
- Dianthus
- Dicentra
- Digitalis
- Echinacea
- Eupatorium
- Euphorbia
- Ferns
- Gaillardia
- Geum
- Helleborus
- Heuchera
- Iris
- Lavender
- Monarda
- Nepeta
- Peony
- Pulmonaria
- Stachys
Deer-Resistant Annuals
Protect Your Garden from Deer Today!
While this list highlights plants that deer typically avoid, local deer populations can have different feeding habits, and food scarcity may drive them to nibble on almost anything. For expert advice and deer-proofing solutions, visit your local Meadows Farms location today!