Selecting Deer Resistant Plants
If you have deer in your area, you know they can be a major garden pest. Deer often find many of your garden plants as attract as you do, only they’re looking for a meal. Unfortunately there is no plant that is 100% deer proof, there are plants that deer like more than others. Our listed or recommended plants has three categories, good resistance (rarely eaten), medium resistance (occasionally eaten) and poor resistance (often eat or damaged).
When searching for plants that will resist deer, select plants with leaves or stems that are fuzzy, prickly or sharp, flowers that have a strong or smelly fragrance are also beneficial. This is no guarantee, as deer under pressure to find food will shift their eating behaviour, but in general these types of plants are less attractive to deer populations.
*Note: Using plants in this list does not guarantee against deer damage. Deer populations and deer taste preferences are variable, and if you have large herds, you will more than likely experience deer damage. This list can be more complete than our selection in the greenhouse. Plants on this list is not guaranteed to be available at Heeman’s but are included for your benefit.
Annuals
Good Resistance
- Ageratum
- Dusty Miller
- Profussion Zinnia
- Vinca
- Alyssum
- Lantana
- Salvia
- Cleome
- Nicotiana
- Snapdragon
Medium Resistance
- Alocasia (Elephant Ear)
- Caladium
- Cyclamen
- Gazania
- Helianthus (Sunflower)
- Pansy
- Petunia
- Viola
- Anethum (Dill)
- Celosia
- Dahlia
- Gerbera
- Lobelia
- Perilla
- Scaevola
- Zinnia
- Begonia
- Cosmos
- Dianthus
- Gladiolus
- Osteospermum
- Pelargonium (Geranium)
- Tropaeolum (Nasturtium)
Poor Resistance
- Impatiens
- Tulips
Perennials
Good Resistance
- Acanthus (Bear’s Breeches)
- Aegopodium (Bishop’s Weed)
- Alchemilla (Lady’s Mantle)
- Artemisia
- Asclepias (Butterfly Weed)
- Baptisia (False Indigo)
- Camassia (Quamash)
- Ceratostigma (Plumbago)
- Convallaria (Lily of the Valley)
- Crocosmia
- Digitalis (Foxglove)
- Eupatorium (Joe Pye Weed)
- Geum
- Helleborus (Lenten Rose)
- Lamium
- Liatris (Gayfeather)
- Lupinus
- Matteuccia (Ostrich Fern)
- Nepeta
- Osmunda (Cinnamon Fern)
- Papaver (Poppy)
- Polemonium (Jacob’s Ladder)
- Salvia (Meadow Sage)
- Achillea (Yarrow)
- Agastache (Hyssop)
- Anemone
- Aruncus (Goat’s Beard)
- Astible
- Bergenia
- Centaurea (Bachelor’s Button)
- Chelone (Turtlehead)
- Coreopsis
- Cyrtomium (Holly Fern)
- Echinacea
- Euphorbia
- Gypsophila (Baby’s Breath)
- Heuchera (Coral Bells)
- Lavendula (Lavender)
- Ligularia
- Lychnis (Rose Campion)
- Monarda (Beebalm)
- Oenothera (Evening Primrose)
- Pachysandra
- Perovskia (Russia Sage)
- Pulmonaria (Lungwort)
- Santolina (Lavender-Cotton)
- Solidago (Goldenrod)
- Thymus (Thyme)
- Veronica (Speedwell)
- Scilla (Squill)
- Tanacetum (Tansy)
- Verbascum (Mullein)
- Aconitum (Monkshood)
- Ajuga
- Aquilegia (Columbine)
- Asarum (Ginger)
- Athyrium (Painted Fern)
- Brunnera
- Cerastium (Snow in Summer)
- Cimicifuga (Bugbane)
- Corydalis
- Dicentra (Bleeding Heart)
- Epimedium
- Filipendula (Queen of the Prairie)
- Helenium (Helen’s Flower)
- Iberis (Candy Tuft)
- Leucanthemum (Shasta Daisy)
- Linium (Flax)
- Lythrum (Loosestrife)
- Myosotis (Forget Me Not)
- Ornamental Grasses
- Paeonia (Peony)
- Platycodon (Balloon Flower)
- Pyrethrum (Painted Daisy)
- Scabiosa (Pin-cushion)
- Stachys (Lamb’s Ear)
- Tiarella (Foamflower)
- Vinca (Myrtle)
Medium Resistance
- Armeria (Sea Thrift)
- Campanula
- Delphinium
- Eryngium (Sea Holly)
- Gaura
- Hibiscus
- Kniphofia (Red Hot Poker)
- Lychnis (Maltese Cross)
- Phlox (any)
- Saponaria (Soapwart)
- Sidalcea (Checkermallow)
- Thalictrum (Meadow Rue)
- Tricyrtis (Toad Lily)
- Aster
- Chrysanthemum
- Dianthus
- Gaillardia (Blanket Flower)
- Geranium (Fuzzy or Fragrant)
- Hypericum (St. John’s Wort)
- Lilium
- Lysimachia
- Physostegia (Obedient Plant)
- Sedum
- Solidago (Goldenrod)
- Trollius (Globe Flower)
- Bellis (English Daisy)
- Clematis
- Erigeron (Fleabane)
- Galium (Sweet Woodruff)
- Hedera (Ivy)
- Iris
- Lobelia (Cardinal Flower)
- Penstemon
- Primula (Primrose)
- Sempervivum (Hens & Chicks)
- Stokesia (Stoke’s Aster)
- Tradescantia (Spiderwort)
Poor Resistance
- Alcea (Hollyhock)
- Hemerocallis (Daylily)
- Geranium (most non-scented)
- Hosta
- Fragaria (Strawberry)
- Rudbeckia (Black-eyed Susan)
Trees & Shrubs
Good Resistance
- Aronia (Chokeberry)
- Buddleia (Butterfly Bush)
- Caryopteris (Blue Mist)
- Cornus (Dogwood)
- Erica (Heath)
- Ginkgo
- Itea (Sweetspire)
- Kolkwitzia (Beautybush)
- Magnolia (Saucer, Star)
- Picea (Spruce)
- Spiraea
- Wisteria
- Berberis (Barberry)
- Buxus (Boxwood)
- Chamaecyparis (Cypress)
- Cratageus (Hawthorn)
- Fagus (Beech)
- Gleditsia (Honey Locust)
- Juniper
- Leucothoe
- Microbiota (Siberian Cypress)
- Pieris
- Syringa (Lilac)
- Betula (Birch)
- Calluna (Heather)
- Clethra
- Daphne
- Forsythia
- Ilex glabra (Ink berry)
- Kalmia (Mt. Laurel)
- Lonicera (Honeysuckle)
- Myrica (Bayberry)
- Pinus (Pine, not White Pine)
- Viburnum
- Yucca
Medium Resistance
- Abies (Concolour Fir)
- Amelanchier (Serviceberry)
- Cotoneaster
- Hydrangea
- Ligustrum (Privet)
- Philadelphus (Mock Orange)
- Pyrus (Flowering Pear)
- Rosa (Rugosa or landscape type)
- Tsuga (Hemlock)
- Acer (Maple)
- Campsis (Trumpet Vine)
- Hamamelis (Witch-hazel)
- Ilex (Blue, Winterberry, etc.)
- Magnolia (most)
- Potentilla
- Quercus (Oak)
- Salix (Willows)
- Weigela
- Aesculus (Buckeye)
- Cotinus (Smokebush)
- Hibiscus (Rose of Sharon)
- Kerria
- Metasequoia (Dawn Redwood)
- Prunus (Japanese Flowering)
- Rhododendron
- Tilia (Linden)
Poor Resistance
- Abies (most Fir, except Concolour)
- Euonymus
- Rosa (Hybrids)
- Azalea
- Malus (Apples)
- Taxus (Yew)
- Cercis (Redbud)
- Prunus (Plums, Cherries)
- Thuja (Arborvitae)
