The damage caused by deer feeding in urban landscapes has increased dramatically in the last few years. A number of options are available to the homeowner to protect landscapes from such damage. Fencing, scent repellents and sound devices are often used with some success. Another option may be to plant species that deer generally do not feed upon. Some literature indicates that a hungry deer will eat even plants thought to be “deer proof,” however; the following list should be helpful in choosing plants that deer generally tend to avoid.
Botanical Name | Common Name | |
TREES | ||
Acer palmatum | Japanese maple | |
Aesculus parviflore | Bottlebrush Buckeye | |
Amelanchier laevis | Alleghany Serviceberry | |
Betula nigra “Heritage” | Heritage Birch | |
Cornus florida | Flowering Dogwood | |
Cotinus | Smoke tree | |
Picea pungens glauca | Colorado Blue Spruce | |
Pinus nigra | Austrian Pine | |
Pinus sylvestris | Scotch Pine | |
SHRUBS | ||
Berberis species | Barberry | |
Buddleia | Butterfly Bush | |
Buxus species | Boxwood | |
Caryopteris | Caryopteris | |
Calastrus scandens | American Bittersweet | |
Cornus sericea | Red Osier Dogwood | |
Cotoneaster species | Cotoneaster | |
Forsythia species | Forsythia | |
Hibiscus syriacus | Rose of Sharon (Althea) | |
Hypericum | Hypericum | |
Ilex opaca | American Holly | |
Juniperus chinenesis | Chinese Juniper | |
Ligustrum vulgare | Common Privet | |
Pinus mugo | Mugho Pine | |
Potentilla | Cinquefoil | |
Syringa species | Lilac | |
Viburnum species | Viburnum | |
Wisterias | Wisteria | |
Yucca species | Yucca | |
HERBACIOUS PLANTS | ||
Achillea species | Yarrow | |
Aconitum species | Monkshood | |
Ageratum houstonianum | Ageratum | |
Alcea rosea | Hollyhock | |
Anemone x hybrida | Japanese Anemone | |
Anethrum graveolens | Common Dill | |
Antirrhinum majus | Snapdragon Aquilegia species | |
Arabis | Rock Cress | |
Artemesia species | Woodworm, Silver Mound | |
Armeria | Common Thrift | |
Asclepias tuberosa | Buttefly Weed | |
Aster novi belgii | Aster | |
Astilbe species | False Spiraea | |
Athyrium filix-femina | Lady Fern | |
Aurinia saxatilis | Basket of Gold, Alyssum | |
Begonia semperflorens | Wax Begonia | |
Bergenia species | Bergenia | |
Borago officinalis | Borage | |
Brunnera species | Anchusa | |
Caladium | Caladium | |
Campanula carpatica | Bellflower | |
Campsis radicans | Trumpet Vine | |
Catharanthus roseus | Periwinkle | |
Centaurea | Centaurea | |
Cerastium tomentosum | Snow in Summer | |
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides | Plumbago | |
Cimicifuga racemosa | Bugbane, Snakeroot | |
Cleome hasslerana | Spider Flower | |
Convallaria majalis | Lily of the Valley | |
Coreopsis species | Tickseed, Coreopsis | |
Cosmos bipinnatus | Cosmos | |
Dendranthema species | Chrysanthemum | |
Dianthus species | Pinks, Carnations | |
Dicentra species | Bleeding Heart | |
Digitalis species | Foxglove | |
Dryopteris marginalis | Wood Fern | |
Epimedium species | Barrenwort | |
Euphorbia | Spurge | |
Equisetum | Horsestail reed | |
Fritillaris species | Crown Imperial | |
Galium odoratum | Sweet Woodruff | |
Gallardia species | Blanket Wildflower | |
Heliotropium arborescens | Helioptrope | |
Hesperis matronalis | Dame’s Rocket | |
Heuchera sanguinea | Coral Bells | |
Hyacinthus orientalis | Hyacinth | |
Iberis sempervirens | Candytuft | |
Iris species | Iris | |
Kniphofia | Red Hot Poker | |
Lamium maculatum | Deadnettle | |
Lantana species | Lantana | |
Liatris spicata | Gay Feather | |
Linum perenne | Flax | |
Liriope | Lily Turf | |
Lobularia maritima | Sweet Alyssum | |
Matteuccia struthiopteris | Ostrich Fern | |
Mertensia virginica | Virginia Bluebells | |
Monarda didyma | Bee Balm | |
Myosotis sylvatica | Forget Me Not | |
Narcissus species | Daffodil | |
Nicotiana species | Flowering Tobacco | |
Nierembergia | Cup Flower | |
Oenothera | Evening Primrose | |
Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis | Royal Fern | |
Pachysandra terminalis | Japanese Spurge | |
Papaver orientale | Oriental Poppy | |
Pelargonium species | Scented Geranium | |
Perovskia atriplicfolia | Russian Sage | |
Penstemon | Beard Tongue | |
Phlox sublata | Creeping Phlox | |
Pulmonaria species | Lungwort | |
Ranunculus species | Creeping Buttercup | |
Salvia farinacea | Salvia Velocity Blue | |
Salvia officinalis | Sage | |
Salvia splendens | Salvia | |
Saponaria ocymoides | Soapwort | |
Scabiosa species | Pincushion Flower | |
Senecio cineraria | Dusty Miller | |
Stachys byzantina | Lamb’s Ear | |
Tagetes species | Marigold | |
Tanacetum vulgare | Common Tansy | |
Thymus species | Thyme | |
Tiarella cordifolia | Foam Flower | |
Tropaeolum majus | Nasturtium | |
Verbena canadensis | Verbena | |
Vinca species | Myrtle | |
Zinnia species | Zinnia |