Deer Say “Yuck”: Easy-To-Grow Deer Resistant Plants
By David Salman, Chief Horticulturist
As deer populations have been exploding in many parts of the country, especially in the eastern US, the damage they inflicting on gardens and lanscapes follows. Gardeners have a few different options to protect their landscapes - and for best results, use a combination of different techniques to gain the upper hand
3 Strategies To Deter Deer
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The first and most effective way to protect your yard is to install fencing, but it needs to be at 7 to 8 ft tall to thwart the deer who can easily clear lower heights. (Special low-visibility fencing mesh helps to minimize its visual impact.)
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Second is the use of a rotating menu of deer repellants. Spray deer repellent on new transplants and established plants that are vulnerable to browsing, especially during the fall, winter and early spring months.
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A third and essential deterrent is choosing plants that are unpalatable to hungry deer. Using deer resistant plants as companion plants to more vulverable varieties is another strategy. Fortunately, we offer a wide variety of deer resistant plants, so you can plant a garden that's both beautiful and worry free.
Deer Resistant Aromatic Plants
There are many plants that deer don't favor when they're out looking for a meal. In general, plants with strongly aromatic foliage are not on the deer dessert list, since the aromatic oils contained in the plants are bitter and generally unpalatable.
These include:
Companion Planting Turns Them Away
Companion planting of deer resistant plants with other non-resistant plants is also a good strategy. Deer smell the aromatic plants and leave the whole planting alone. Planting Lavender alongside and around roses or Clematis vines for example, is an effective and aesthetically pleasing strategy. Russian Sage (Perovskia) planted in among and on the outer edge of a xeric planting will keep the deer away as well.
Some Of Our Favorite Deer Resistant Plants
Look for the no deer symbol throughout the website plant descriptions to easily spot deer resistant plants.
- Agapanthus: A vigorous South African native plant with elegant flowers 'Cold Hardy White' Lily of the Nile (Agapanthus sp.)
- Agastache: Some of High Country Gardens' most popular plants. The rupestris varieties are particularly fragrant and deer resistant, including Glowing Embers® Hummingbird Mint and Agastache rupestris.
- Salvia: Some of High Country Gardens' most popular plants. Fragrant, resinous foliage is highly deer resistant once established. Some of our bestsellers include 'Little Night' European Sage (Salvia sylvestris), May Night European Sage (Salvia sylvestris), and Desert Purple Sage (Salvia dorrii)
- Centranthus: Called Jupiter's Beard or Valerian, it has showy fragrant flowers (though due to it's redy reseeding, it is prohibited in some states.) Colors include: White Jupiter's Beard (Centranthus ruber 'Albus'), Pink Jupiter's Beard (Centranthus ruber 'Roseus'), Red Jupiter's Beard (Centranthus ruber 'Coccineus')
- Coreopsis : With attractive fine foliage and long blooming flowers that are generally a sunny yellow, like Sunray Tickseed (Coreopsis grandiflora) and 'Redshift' Hybrid Tickseed (Coreopsis hybrid).
- Foxglove (Digitalis): This plant is in fact poisonous when eaten, so it's practically deer and rabbit proof. See Spanish Peaks® Foxglove (Digitalis thapsi) and Sunset Foxglove (Digitalis obscura)
- Lavender: Some of High Country Gardens' most popular plants. Reliably fragrant and well known for its essential oil content that's highly unplatable to deer. 'Wee One' Dwarf English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Mitcham Gray Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
- Ornamental Grasses, including Giant Sacaton Grass (Sporobolus wrightii Windbreaker)
- Oenothera (Evening Primrose): Low-growing flowers perfect for pairing with taller plants, including Showy Pink Evening Primrose (Oenothera speciosus rosea)
- Cacti: The tough and prickly plants have a built in defense system against snacking deer. Century Plant (Agave), and Yucca.
How To Use Deer Repellents
Be sure and apply deer repellent to new transplants. Nursery grown plants don't realize their deer repellent properties until they have been growing in the soil of their new home for a few months to establish and accumulate the bitter tasting oils that make the plants unpalatable.
It may help to use multiple repellents so that deer do not get accustomed to them.
Be sure to reapply as needed, to prevent deer from getting a taste of your plants and ocming back for more -- especially after rain.
Regional Preferences
It's also important to remember that the plants deer don't like to eat will vary somewhat from region to region. So I always recommend checking in with local Agricultural Extension offices and Master Gardener organizations to verify that the plants on your deer resistant "want list" are not being eaten in your area.
Explore Our Selection Of Deer Resistant Plants
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Learn MoreRose Marvel Salvia Rose Marvel Meadow Sage Salvia nemorosa Rose Marvel$11.99 Sale $11.39Sale Price I Save 5%Per Plant - 5" Deep Pot'Rose Marvel' Salvia (Salvia nemorosa) adds stunning spikes of large magenta-pink flowers to the summer garden. It’s a garden workhorse, reblooming without needing to be cut back, and a pollinator favorite, attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. The lovely herbaceous-scented foliage is deer and rabbit resistant. Drought tolerant once established. Nice cut flowers too!Learn MoreSunSparkler® 'Wildfire' Sedum blazes with ruby red petals edged in hot pink. Late summer brings clusters of long-blooming pink flowers. It’s an attention-worthy groundcover that w...
Learn MoreSunSparkler® Wildfire Sedum SunSparkler® Wildfire Stonecrop PP#28621 Sedum Wildfire PP#28621$10.99 Sale $10.44Sale Price I Save 5%Per Plant - 5" Deep PotSunSparkler® 'Wildfire' Sedum blazes with ruby red petals edged in hot pink. Late summer brings clusters of long-blooming pink flowers. It’s an attention-worthy groundcover that will naturalize to fill a sunny, dry area. In fact, the more sun, the brighter the color. A perfect easy-to-grow addition to a rock garden, container, or any sunny spot that needs a water-thrifty color boost. Deer and rabbit resistant.Learn More
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