Deer-Resistant Plants
Deer can be a delightful sight in the wild, but they can wreak havoc on carefully cultivated gardens. If you’re tired of finding your favourite plants nibbled to the ground, incorporating deer-resistant varieties into your landscape can help minimize damage. While no plant is completely immune to deer browsing, especially during times of scarcity, the following plants are less palatable to deer and can thrive in your garden.
Deer-Resistant Trees
The following trees are known for their resistance to deer:
- Serviceberry
- Colorado spruce
- Concolor fir
- Norway spruce
- White spruce
- Japanese flowering cherry
- Red oak
- Corkscrew willow
- Japanese tree lilac
- Pawpaw
- Ginkgo
- Larch
- Whitespire birch
- Scots pine
- Bristlecone pine
- Juniper (Juniperus spp.)
- Austrian pine
- White birch
- Black locust
- European beech
- Honey locust
- Caragana standards
- Canadian hemlock
- Western cedar
Deer-Resistant Shrubs
Shrubs can add texture and variety to your landscape. Consider these deer-resistant options:
- Boxwood
- Barberry
- Blue beard
- Red osier dogwood
- Smoke bush
- Privet
- Mugo pine
- Russian olive
- Japanese andromeda
- Forsythia
- Snowmound spirea
- Viburnum
- Wisteria
- Japanese kerria
- Trumpet vine
- Boston ivy
- Grapes
- False cypress
- Butterfly bush
- Inkberry holly
- Cotoneaster
- Beauty bush
- Oregon grape holly
- Rose of Sharon
- Elderberry
- Daphne
- Common lilac
- Yuccas
- Clematis
- Witch hazel
- American bittersweet
- Silver lace vine
Deer-Resistant Annuals, Perennials, and Bulbs
Add pops of colour with these hardy plants that deer tend to avoid:
- Yarrow
- Ageratum
- Alyssum
- Onion/garlic
- Columbine
- Japanese anemone
- False indigo
- Snow in summer
- Snakeroot
- Cosmos
- Sweet William
- Bleeding heart
- False spirea
- Hellebore
- Monkshood
- Carpet bugle
- Snapdragon
- Marguerite daisy
- Silvermound
- Rock cress
- Bachelor’s button
- Coreopsis (tickseed)
- Bergenia
- Delphinium
- Maiden pinks
- Foxglove
- Sweet woodruff
- Hyacinth
- Iris
- Deadneedle
- Lupins
- Lavender
- Catmint
- Oregano
- Penstemon
- Potentilla
- Pachysandra
- Geum
- Black-eyed Susan
- Lavender cotton
- Lamb’s ear
- Thyme
- Nasturtium
- Soapwort
- Catchfly
- Verbena
- Baby’s breath
- Coral bells
- Gayfeather
- Maltese cross
- Daffodil
- Evening primrose
- Peony
- Russian sage
- Obedient plant
- Common zinnia
- Rhubarb
- Sage
- Dusty miller
- Marigold
- Foam flower
- Common tansy
- Pincushion flower
- Goldenrod
- Periwinkle
Deer-Resistant Ornamental Grasses
Grasses can provide texture and movement to your landscape while resisting deer damage:
- Feather reed grass
- Maiden grasses
- Northern sea oats
- Blue fescue grass
Deer-Resistant Ferns
Ferns thrive in shaded gardens and can resist deer browsing:
- Ostrich fern
- Cinnamon fern
- Wood fern
- Sensitive fern
- Royal fern
- Christmas fern
Tips for Preventing Deer Damage
Even with deer-resistant plants, it’s wise to use additional strategies to protect your garden from hungry deer. Here are some effective methods:
- Natural Repellents: Products like Bobbex and Plantskydd can be sprayed on plants to deter deer. These repellents often contain natural ingredients that deer find unappealing.
- Physical Barriers: Install netting or fencing around vulnerable areas, particularly during the growing season. Deer netting can be nearly invisible and is easy to use.
- Motion-Activated Devices: Devices like sprinklers or lights that activate when motion is detected can startle deer and keep them away.
- Plant Placement: Position highly desirable plants closer to your home or in areas where deer are less likely to roam. Surround them with more resistant varieties to act as a natural barrier.
- Scent-Based Deterrents: Hang soap bars, bags of human hair, or other strong-smelling items near plants to create an unwelcoming environment for deer.
By choosing deer-resistant plants and implementing these deterrent strategies, you can create a beautiful and thriving landscape that’s less appealing to deer. Happy gardening!
