15 Deer-Resistant Plants

Photo/Illustration: Jennifer Brown

John Van Etten, former grounds superintendent at the Mohonk Mountain House in upstate New York, recommends 15 plants that deer won't eat; your experience, of course, may differ. For a list of deer-resistant plants in your area, contact your local extension agent.

To learn more about the plants shown below, click on the images to see their Plant Guide Profiles.

For even more options, visit Fine Gardening's Plant Guide, which currently lists 195 deer-tolerant plants. From that list, you can narrow your selections by zone, color, and several other characteristics.

Perennials and annuals

1. Angelonias (Angelonia angustifolia cvs.), annual Photo/Illustration: Jennifer Benner

2. Basket of gold (Aurinia saxatilis), Zones 4-8 (Plant Guide profile is unavailable.)
Photo by gardentrek

3. Bleeding hearts (Dicentra spectabilis), Z3-9 Photo/Illustration: Jennifer Benner

4. Globe amaranth (Gomphrena globosa), annual Photo/Illustration: Michelle Gervais

5. Lamb's ear (Stachys byzantina), Z4-8 Photo/Illustration: Michelle Gervais

6. Lantanas (Lantana spp. and cvs.), annual Photo/Illustration: Melissa Lucas

7. Lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria majalis), Z2-7 Photo/Illustration: Michelle Gervais

8. Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia), Z6-9 Photo/Illustration: Michelle Gervais

9. Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus cvs.) annual Photo/Illustration: Melissa Lucas

10. Spider flowers (Cleome hassleriana cvs.) annual (Plant Guide profile is unavailable.)
Photo by Carl E. Lewis 

Trees and shrubs

11. Beautybush (Kolkwitzia amabilis), Z5-9 Photo/Illustration: Steve Aitken

12. Chaste trees (Vitex spp. and cvs.), Z6-9 Photo/Illustration: Bill Johnson

13. Daphnes (Daphne X burkwoodii cvs), Z5-8 Photo/Illustration: Stephanie Fagan

14. Shadbushes (Amelanchier spp. and cvs.), Z4-9 Photo/Illustration: Jennifer Benner

15. Spireas (Spiraea spp. and cvs.), Z4-9 Photo/Illustration: courtesy of Bailey Nurseries