The scourge of most people’s gardens, deer are cursed by everyone who plants a pricey carefully selected gem, that overnight becomes deer salad on the buffet line. Using fences, sprays, loud noises, and other innovative controls to some effect, deer will always find a way to get to a freshly planted tender morsel one way or another. Frustrating is not the word! Gardeners feel that they are under attack and throw up their hands in defeat against their Bambi foes.
The best defense against this concerted garden attack is to plant things that deer rarely if ever eat…. Kind of like putting out a liver dish for most people. But if you are unsure about the resistance factor, consider if the plant is fuzzy, fragrant or a fern… animals (deer and bunnies) tend to leave them alone.
On the other hand, don’t plant the big three-hostas, daylilies, and tulips. Plantings of any of these will entice deer to your property, like “M and M’s” scattered around that will draw deer in to your property. Or inviting them to a party! Instead, you want to put up “keep away” signs with your plant choices.
List of  Plants That are “Usually” Deerproof (Some Always!)
Usually is the key here. I thought that Epimedium was a stalwart deer proof plant until someone sent me a picture of a stand of chewed up Epimedium from deer. Some of these plants are understandably resistant like lavender or nepeta, both being very pungent. But Shasta Daisy? This seems very juicy and succulent to me but I find that deer never touch it. Here’s my list from experience:
Achillea, Yarrow
Aconitum, Monkshood
Ajuga
Alchemilla, Lady’s Mantle
Allium, Ornamental Onion
Angelonia, Annual
Armeria, Sea Thrift
Arisaema, Jack in the Pulpit
Artemisia, all varieties
Aruncus, Goatsbeard
Astilbe
Asclepias, Butterfly Weed, all varieties
Baptisia, False Indigo
Barberry, can be invasive
Bleeding Heart, Dicentra
Borage
Boxwood
Brunnera, Forget Me Not
Caryopteris, BluebeardÂ
Celosia, Cockscomb
Chelone, TurtleheadÂ
Chrysogonum virginianum, Green and Gold
Cimicifuga, Bugbane
Clethra, Summersweet
Convallaria, Lily of the Valley
Cordyline
Coreopsis-Threadleaf varieties only like Zagreb
Cryptomeria radicans, Japanese Cedar
Daffodils, poisonous and they never eat these!
Daphne
Dianthus, Pinks
Dicentra, Bleeding Heart
Epimedium, Barrenwort
Euphorbia, Cushion Spurge
Ferns, all kinds
Geranium macrorhizzum ‘Ingwersens’ & ‘Bevans’, Big Root Geranium
Grasses, all kinds
Hakonechloa, Japanese Forest Grass
Heuchera ‘Autumn Bride’,Coral Bells
Hibiscus
Hyacinth
Iberis, Candytuft
Iris, all kinds
Ivy
Kniphofia, Red Hot Poker
Lamium, Dead Nettle
Lantana, Annual
Leucanthemum, Shasta Daisy
Leucothoe
Ligularia
Lupine
Lysimachia, Creeping Jenny
Mahonia, Oregon Grape
Mazus reptans
Mertensia virginica, Virginia Bluebells
Microbiota decussatta, Russian Cypress
Myosotis, Forget Me Not
Nandina, Heavenly Bamboo
Pachysandra
Peony
Perovskia, Russian Sage
Phlox subulata, Creeping Phlox
Pulmonaria, Â Lungwort
Rhus ‘Gro-Low’, Sumac
Rudbeckia, Black Eyed Susan
Sarcococca, Sweetbox
Salvia, all kinds
Scabiosa, Pincushion Flower
Senecio, Golden Groundsel
Solidago, Golden Rod
Spirea
Stachys, Lambs Ears
Stylophorum diphyllum, Celandine Poppy
Tanacetum, Tansy
Teucrium, Germander
Tiarella
Vernonia, Ironweed
Vinca
Viburnum ‘Pragense’
Vitex
Yucca
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We don’t have deer here anymore. Too many people, homes and not enough vegetation for them. I would plant things just to feed them if I could. Love your flowers.
I need to remember to take your list the next trip I take to the nursery! I always forget what’s goes on the deer salad bar…naturally I love two favorites, day lilies and hosta! Keep the great info coming!