About Deer
Managing deer has become a concern for many garden owners.
The first list below includes some of the plants that deer usually avoid, based on our experience. However, a hungry deer will eat plants that it might otherwise pass by. Fencing and spraying with deer repellents are other ways to discourage deer from your garden.
The second list includes plants that are almost certain to be eaten by deer. These plants, if grown, should be placed in protected areas or sprayed regularly.
Key to type: T = tree, S = shrub, P = perennial, G = groundcover, GR = ornamental grass like, B = bulb
Key to culture: S = full sun, PS = part sun, SH = shade
Key to Native: N = native
Deer-Resistant Plants |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TYPE | BOTANICAL NAME | COMMON NAME | CULTURE | NATIVE |
| P | Achillea spp. | Yarrow species | S | N |
| P | Aconitum spp. | Monkshood species | PS/SH | |
| S | Aesculus parviflora | Bottlebrush Buckeye | S | N |
| P | Alchemilla spp. | Lady's Mantle species | S/PS/SH | |
| B | Allium spp. | Allium species | S | |
| T | Amelanchier spp. | Shadblow or Serviceberry species | PS | N |
| P | Amsonia spp. | Bluestar species | S/PS | N |
| P | Anemone spp. | Anemone, Windflower species | PS | some |
| P | Aquilegia spp. | Columbine species | PS | N |
| P | Arisaema triphyllum | Jack-in-the-Pulpit | PS/SH | N |
| S | Artemisia spp. | Artemesia, Mugwort | S | |
| P | Asclepias spp. | Milkweed, Butterfly Weed | S | N |
| T | Asimina triloba | Paw paw | PS | N |
| P | Astilbe spp. | Astilbe | S/PS/SH | |
| T | Betula nigra | River Birch | S | N |
| G | Brunnera macroplylla | Bugloss | PS/SH | |
| S | Buxus spp. | Boxwood | S/PS/SH | |
| B | Camassia quamash | Quamash | S/PS | N |
| GR | Carex spp. | Sedge species | S - SH | some |
| P | Caryopteris x clandonensis | Bluebeard | S | N |
| S | Cephalotaxus harringtonia | Japanese Plum-yew | S/PS/SH | |
| P | Ceratostigma plumbaginoides | Plumbago | S | |
| T/S | Chamaecyparis spp. | Falsecypress species | S/PS | |
| B | Chionodoxa spp. | Glory-of-the-Snow, etc. | S | |
| P | Cimicifuga racemosa | Snakeroot | PS | N |
| S | Clethra alnifolia | Sweet Pepperbush | PS | N |
| B | Colchicum spp. | Autumn Crocus species | S | |
| B | Convallaria majalis | Lily-of-the-Valley | S/PS/SH | N |
| P | Coreopsis spp. | Tickseed species | S | N |
| T | Cryptomeria japonica | Cryptomeria | S/PS | |
| P | Dicentra spp. | Bleeding Heart | PS/SH | some |
| P | Digitalis spp. | Foxglove species | PS | |
| P | Echinacea purpurea | Purple Coneflower | S/PS | N |
| G | Epimedium spp. | Barrenwort species | PS/SH | |
| B | Eranthis hyemalis | Winter Aconite | S/PS | |
| P | Eupatorium spp. | Joe Pye Weed species | S/PS | N |
| G | Euphorbia spp. | Euphorbia, Spurge species | S - PS | |
| G | Ferns |
Fern species | PS/SH | some |
| B | Fritillaria spp. | Fritillary | S - PS | some |
| B | Galanthus nivalis | Snowdrop | PS | |
| G | Galium odoratum | Sweet Woodruff | PS/SH | |
| P | Geranium spp. | Scented Cranesbill | S/PS/SH | |
| GR | Ornamental Grass spp. |
Ornamental Grass species (Reed Grass. Wild-oats, Miscanthus, Switch Grass, Fountain Grass, Little Bluestem, etc. |
S | some |
| S | Hamamelis spp. | Witch hazel species | S/PS | some |
| P | Helleborus spp. | Hellebore (Lenten Rose, etc.) | PS/SH | |
| P | Herb species (Anethum, Mentha, Origanum, Rosmarinus, Salvia, Tanacetum,Thymus, etc.) |
Herbs (Dill, Mint, Oregano, Rosemary, Sage, Tansy, Thyme, etc.) |
S | |
| P | Heuchera spp. | Heuchera species, Coral Bells | S/PS | N |
| B | Hyacinthus orientalis | Hyacinth | S | |
| B | Ipheion uniflorum | Star Flower | S | |
| T/S | Ilex spp. | Holly (more spiny ones) | S/PS | some |
| P | Iris spp. | Iris species | S/PS | some |
| S | Itea virginica | Virginia Sweetspire | PS | N |
| T/S | Juniperus spp. | Juniper species | S | some |
| P | Lavandula spp. | Lavender species | S | |
| B | Leucojum aestivum | Summer Snowflake | S | |
| S | Leucothoe spp. | Leucothoe, Fetterbush | PS/SH | N |
| S | Ligustrum spp. | Privet species | S | |
| T | Lindera benzoin | Spicebush | PS/SH | N |
| S | Loropetalum chinensis | Loropetalum | S/PS | |
| B | Lycoris spp. | Spider Lily, Resurrection Lily | S | |
| S | Mahonia spp. | Mahonia spp. | PS/SH | |
| P | Monarda spp. | Bee Balm | S | N |
| B | Muscari spp. | Grape Hyacinth | S | |
| S | Myrica spp. | Bayberry species | S/PS | N |
| S | Nandina domestica | Nandina | PS | |
| B | Narcissus spp. | Daffodil, Jonquil, etc. | S/PS/SH | |
| B | Nepeta spp. | Nepeta, Catnip | S | |
| P | Perovskia atriplicifolia | Russian Sage | S | |
| T | Picea spp. | Spruce species | S | some |
| S | Pieris japonica | Pieris, Andromeda | PS | |
| S | Prunus laurocerasus | Cherry Laurel | S/PS/SH | |
| G | Pulmonaria spp. | Lungwort species | PS/SH | |
| P | Rudbeckia spp. | Black-Eyed Susan species | S/PS | N |
| P | Ruellia spp. | Wild Petunia species | PS/SH | N |
| P | Salvia spp. | Sage species | S - PS | some |
| S | Sarcococca hookeriana var. humilis | Himalayan Sweetbox | PS/SH | |
| B | Scilla bifolia | Squill | S | |
| P | Senecio aureus | Golden Ragwort | PS/SH | N |
| P | Solidago spp. | Goldenrod | S | N |
| G | Stachys byzantina | Lamb's Ears | S | |
| S | Ternstroemia gymanthera | Ternstroemia | S/PS/SH | |
| P | Tiarella spp. | Foamflower species | PS/SH | N |
| P | Yucca spp. | Yucca species | S/PS | N |
Plants Preferred by Deer |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TYPE | BOTANICAL NAME | COMMON NAME | CULTURE | NATIVE |
| P | Clematis spp. | Clematis species | S | some |
| P | Hemerocallis spp. | Daylily | S/PS | |
| P | Hosta spp. | Hosta | PS/SH | |
| S | Hydrangea quercifolia | Oakleaf Hydrangea | PS/SH | N |
| P | Lilium spp. | Lily | S | |
| T | Pinus spp. | Pine | S | some |
| P | Polygonatum spp. | Solomon's Seal | PS/SH | some |
| S | Rhododendron spp. | Rhododendron & Azalea | PS | some |
| S | Rosa spp. | Roses | S/PS | |
| S | Taxus spp. | Yew | S/PS/SH | |
| T | Thuja occidentalis | Arborvitae | S/PS | N |
| P | Tricyrtis spp. | Toad Lily | PS/SH | |
| B | Tulipa spp. | Tulip | S | |
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