One of the most frustrating things to deal with this time of year is having a deer snack on your beloved plants. Even if you are the type of person to tolerate deer damage because you love them, beware! Deer are creatures of habit. Once they feel safe and find a tasty snack, they will visit regularly.
An increase in deer populations and a decrease in their natural habitat have set up a situation in which your favorite landscapes become alternative food sources for deer. As winter approaches and food sources become scarce, feeding on leaves, stems, and buds of plants becomes more apparent. Male deer also cause damage by rubbing their antlers along the trunks of trees, stripping off the bark. Trees and shrubs can suffer permanent damage. Deer should always be discouraged immediately.
There are four ways to discourage deer: Fencing, repellents, predators, and deer-resistant plants.
Fencing requires you to enclose your entire yard with a fence at least six feet tall. This is not necessarily an aesthetically pleasing option, nor is it cost-effective. In some cases, you can put barrier fencing around these individual plants. While it is still unsightly, protecting a tree while it is young is important.
Homemade and commercial repellents are common control methods to discourage deer, but their effectiveness varies. Snow and rain can wash them away, so frequent applications are needed. Also, if food sources are scarce, deer may simply ignore the repellents, despite the taste or odor.
As far as predators go, a noisy dog is an excellent deer deterrent. If you don’t have a dog, you can hang shiny tape from branches, or place inflated balls and other moving objects in the yard to startle the deer with sudden movement. You’ll have to rotate these frequently, however, or deer will soon realize that they are not in danger from these objects.
If they are hungry enough and food is scarce enough, deer will eat almost anything. However, there are a number of plants that deer don’t find particularly palatable. Using these plants in your landscape is often the most cost-effective, least time-consuming, and most aesthetically pleasing solution.
Below is a list of trees and shrubs not favored by deer. However, the resistance of any plant species may change due to environmental factors.
Always check to make sure that a plant is not invasive to your area before you plant it!
TREES
Common Name Scientific Name
American chestnut Castanea dentata
Bald-cypress Taxodium distichum
Beech Fagus spp.
Birch Betula spp.
Catalpa Catalpa spp.
Dawn redwood Metasequoia glyptostroboides
Giant arborvitae Thuja plicata
Ginkgo Ginkgo biloba
Ironwood Ostrya virginiana
Japanese tree lilac Syringa reticulata
Larch Larix spp.
Honey-locust Gleditsia triacanthos
Redbud Cercis canadensis
Sassafras Sassafras albidum
Smoketree Cotinus spp.
Sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum
Sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua
Spruce Picea spp.
Sycamore Platanus occidentalis
Tulip tree Liriodendron tulipifera
Shrubs
Common Name Scientific Name
Boxwood Buxus spp.
Leatherwood Dirca palustris
Coralberry/Snowberry Symphoricarpos spp.
* Poisonous, do not eat!
Forsythia Forsythia spp.
Japanese kerria Kerria japonica
Common lilac Syringa vulgaris
Oregon grape-holly Mahonia aquifolium
Smokebush Cotinus spp
Spicebush Lindera benzoin
Spirea Spiraea spp.
Carolina allspice Calycanthus floridus
Witch hazel Hamamelis spp.
Ground Covers
Common Name Scientific Name
Barren strawberry Waldsteinia fragarioides
Bergenia Bergenia cordifolia
Bugleweed Ajuga reptans
Bunchberry Cornus canadensis
Catmint Nepeta x faassenii
Epimedium Epimedium spp.
Ferns Numerous species
Hens and chicks Sempervivum spp.
Juniper Juniperus spp.
Lady’s mantle Alchemilla mollis
Lamium Lamium spp.
Lily turf Liriope spicata
Lungwort Pulmonaria spp.
Mosses ————–
Pachysandra Pachysandra spp.
Potentilla Potentilla spp
Sedum Sedum spp.
Snow-in-summer Cerastium tomentosum
Sweet woodruff Galium odoratum
Vinca Vinca minor
Violet Viola spp.
Wild ginger Asarum canadense
Wild strawberry Fragaria spp
Perennial Vines
Common Name Scientific Name
Akebia Akebia quinata
Bittersweet Celastrus scandens
Clematis Clematis spp.
Crimson glory vine Vitis coignetiae
Silver lace vine Polygonum aubertii
Trumpet creeper Campsis radicans
Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Hardy Bulbs
Common Name Scientific Name
Autumn crocus Colchicum autumnalis
Crown imperial Fritillaria imperialis
Daffodil Narcissus spp.
Grape hyacinth Muscari spp.
Glory-of-the-snow Chionodoxa luciliae
Ornamental onion Allium spp.
Siberian scilla Scilla sibirica
Snowdrops Galanthus nivalis
Winter aconite Eranthis hyemalis
Annuals and Biennials
Common Name Scientific Name
Ageratum Ageratum houstonianum
Alyssum Lobularia maritima
Candytuft Iberis sempervirens
Forget-me-not Myosotis spp.
Four o’clock Mirabilis jalapa
Foxglove Digitalis purpurea
Heliotrope Heliotropium arborescens
Larkspur Delphinium spp.
Lobelia Lobelia spp.
Marigold Tagetes spp.
Mexican sunflower Tithonia rotundifolia
Mimulus Mimulus spp.
Nasturtium Tropaeolum majus
Petunia Petunia spp.
Poppy Papaver spp.
Salvia Salvia spp.
Snapdragon Antirrhinum majus
Stocks Matthiola spp.
Sunflower Helianthus annuus
Sweet William Dianthus spp.
Hardy Perennials
Common Name Scientific Name
Monkshood Aconitum spp.
Anemone Anemone spp.
Artemisia Artemisia spp.
Astilbe Astilbe spp.
Bee Balm Monarda spp.
Bergenia Bergenia cordifolia
Black-eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta
Butterfly weed Asclepias tuberosa
Columbine Aquilegia spp.
Coreopsis Coreopsis spp.
Cranesbill Geranium spp.
Fleabane daisy Erigeron x hybridus
Foam flower Tiarella cordifolia
Gentian Gentiana spp.
Geum Geum spp.
Goldenrod Solidago spp.
Hellebore Helleborus nigra
Hens & chicks Sempervivum spp.
Hibiscus Hibiscus spp.
Iris Iris spp.
Jacob’s ladder Polemonium caeruleum
Rose campion Lychnis coronaria
Marsh marigold Caltha palustris
Meadow rue Thalictrum spp.
Meadowsweet Filipendula spp.
Peony Paeonia spp.
Phlox Phlox divaricata
Pinks Dianthus spp.
Purple coneflower Echinacea purpurea
Rockcress Arabis caucasica
Russian sage Perovskia atriplicifolia
Salvia Salvia spp.
Sedum Sedum spp.
Shasta daisy Chrysanthemum
Snakeroot Eupatorium rugosum
Sneezeweed Helenium autumnale
Snow-in-summer Cerastium tomentosum
Speedwell Veronica spp.
Toadflax Linaria spp.
Valerian Valeriana officinalis
Violet Viola spp.
Yarrow Achillea spp.
Herbs
Common Name Scientific Name
Angelica Angelica archangelica
Artemisia Artemisia vulargis
Basil Ocimum basilicum
Borage Borago officinalis
Catmint Nepeta x faassenii
Chamomile Matricaria spp.
Chives Allium schoenoprasum
Comfrey Symphytum x rubrum
Dill Anethum graveolens
Fennel Foeniculum vulgare
Feverfew Tanacetum parthenium
Germander Teucrium chamaedrys
Hyssop Hyssopus officinalis
Lamb’s ears Stachys byzantina
Lavender Lavandula angustifolia
Lemon balm Melissa officinalis
Mint Mentha spp.
Mullein Verbascum spp.
Oregano Origanum vulgare
Parsley Petroselinum spp.
Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis
Rue Ruta graveolens
Sage Salvia officinalis
Savory Satureja montana
Tansy Tanacetum coccineum
Thyme Thymus spp.
Works Cited:
Plants not favored by deer. (n.d.). Retrieved November 15, 2019, from https://www.mortonarb.org/trees-plants/tree-and-plant-advice/horticulture-care/plants-not-favored-deer.
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