plants not favored by deer

deciduous trees

  • Alnus glutinosa (European Black Alder)

  • Amelanchier x grandiflora (Apple Serviceberry)

  • Betula (Birch)

  • Carpinus caroliniana (American Hornbeam)

  • Catalpa speciosa (Northern Catalpa)

  • Cotinus obovatus (American Smoketree)

  • Crataegus spp. (Hawthorn)

  • Fagus spp. (Beech)

  • Fraxinus Americana (White Ash)

  • Fraxinus pennsylvanica (Green Ash)

  • Ginkgo biloba (Ginkgo)

  • Gleditsia triacanthose (Honey Locust)

  • Gymnocladus dioica (Kentucky Coffeetree)

  • Larix spp. (Larch)

  • Liriodendron tulipifera (Tulip Tree)

  • Magnolia spp. (Magnolia)

  • Metasequoic glyptostroboides (Dawn Redwood)

  • Nyssa sylvatica (Black Gum, Tupelo)

  • Ostrya virginiana (American Hop Hornbeam)

  • Platanus occidentalis (American Sycamore)

  • Quercus spp. (Oaks)

  • Robinia pseudoacacia (Black Locust)

  • Salix (Willow)

  • Sassafras albidum (Sassafras)

  • Stewartia pseudocamellia (Japanese Stewartia)

  • Syringa reticulate (Japanese Tree Lilac)

  • Taxodium distichum (Bald Cypress)

evergreens

  • Abies concolor (Concolor Fir, White Fir)

  • Juniperus spp. (Juniper)

  • Picea spp. (Spruce)

  • Pinus spp. (Pine)

  • Thuja plicata (Western Red Cedar)

  • Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas Fir)

shrubs

  • Abeliophyllum distichum (White Forsythia)

  • Berberis spp. (Barberry)

  • Buddleja davidii (Butterfly Bush)

  • Buxus (Boxwood)

  • Caryopteris x clandoensis (Bluemist Spirea)

  • Clethra alnifolia (Summersweet Clethra)

  • Calycanthus floridus (Carolina Allspice)

  • Chionanthus virginicus (Fringetree)

  • Cotinus coggygria (Smokebush)

  • Cotoneaster spp. Daphne x burkwoodii ‘Carol Mackie’ Dirca palustris (Leatherwood)

  • Forsythia spp. (Forsythia)

  • Hibiscus syriacus (Rose-of-Sharon)

  • Hypericum spp. (St. John’s Wort)

  • Ilex spp. (Holly)

  • Kerria japonica (Japanese Kerria)

  • Kolkwitzia amabilis (Beautybush)

  • Lindera benzoin (Spicebush)

  • Pieris japonica (Japanese Pieris)

  • Potentilla fruticosa (Potentilla)

  • Rhus aromatic (Fragrant Sumac)

  • Rosa rugosa (Rugosa Rose)

  • Spiraea spp. (Spirea)

  • Symphoricarpos spp. (Snowberry/Coralberry)

bulbs

  • Alliums pp. (Ornamental Onions)

  • Chionodoxa luciliae (Glory-of-the-Snow)

  • Colchicum speciosum (Autumn Crocus, Colchicum)

  • Eranthis hyemalis (Winter Aconite)

  • Fritillaria imperialis (Crown Imperial)

  • Galanthus nivalis (Common Snowdrop)

  • Hyacinth Hyacinthoides hispanica (Spanish Bluebell)

  • Leucojum vernum (Spring Snowflake)

  • Muscari spp. (Grape Hyacinth)

  • Narcissus spp. (Daffodil)

  • Puschkinia scillopides (Stripped Squill)

  • Scilla siberica (Siberia Squill)

groundcovers

  • Aegopodium podagraria (Goutweed)

  • Alchemilla mollis (Lady’s Mantle)

  • Ajuga reptans (Bugleweed)

  • Arabis caucasia (Rock Cress)

  • Asarum canadense (Canadian Wild Ginger)

  • Aubrieta deltoidea (False Rock Cress)

  • Cerastium tomentosum (Snow-in-the-Summer)

  • Convallaria majalis (Lily-of-the-Valley)

  • Epimedium spp. (Barrenwort)

  • Euonymous spp. Galium odoratum (Sweet Woodruff)

  • Hedera helix (English Ivy)

  • Iberis sempervirens (Evergreen Candytuft)

  • Lamium maculatum (Spotted Dead Nettle)

  • Lamiastrum galeobdolon (Archangel)

  • Liriope spicata (Creeping Lily Turf)

  • Pachysandra terminalis (Japanese Pachysandra)

  • Potentilla tridentate (Cinquefoil)

  • Vinca minor (Periwinkle)

  • Waldsteinia spp. (Barren Strawberry)

herbaceous perennials

  • Achillea spp. (Yarrow)

  • Acontium spp. (Monkshood)

  • Agastache (Anise Hyssop)

  • Alchemilla mollis (Lady’s Mantle)

  • Amsonia spp. Anaphalis triplinervis (Pearly Everlasting)

  • Anemone spp. (Anemone)

  • Anthemis tinctoria (Golden Marguerite)

  • Aquilegia spp. (Columbine)

  • Armeria maritime (Sea Thrift)

  • Artemisia spp. (Wormwood)

  • Asclepias spp. (Butterfly Weed)

  • Astilbe spp. (Astilbe)

  • Athyrium (Lady Fern)

  • Baptisia spp. (False Indigo)

  • Bergenia cordifolia (Bergenia)

  • Boltonia asteroids (Boltonia)

  • Brunnera macrophylla (Siberian Bugloss)

  • Calamintha (Calamint)

  • Caltha palustris (Marsh Marigold)

  • Centaurea spp. (Cornflower, Knapweed)

  • Ceratostigma plumbaginoides (Plumbago)

  • Chelone lyonii (Turtle head)

  • Cimicifuga racemosa (Black Snakeroot)

  • Coreopsis spp. (Coreopsis)

  • Crocosmis x crocosmiiflora (Crocosmia)

  • Delphinium spp. (Delphium)

  • Dianthus spp. (Pinks)

  • Dicentra spp. (Bleeding Heart)

  • Dictamnus albus (Gas Plant)

  • Dryopteris spp. (Wood Fern)

  • Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower)

  • Echinops spp. (Globe Thistle)

  • Erigeron x hybridus (Fleabane Daisy)

  • Eupatorium purpureum (Joe-Pye Weed)

  • Euphorbia spp. (Spurge)

  • Fallopia japonica Filipendula vulgaris (Meadowsweet)

  • Gaillardia x grandiflora (Blanketflower)

  • Gentiana septemfida (Crested Gentian)

  • Geranium spp. (Hardy Geranium)

  • Geum spp.(Avens)

  • Gypsophilia paniculata (Baby’s Breath)

  • Helenium autumnale (Sneezeweed)

  • Helleborus spp. (Hellebore)

  • Heucherella (Foamy Bells)

  • Heuchera spp. (Coral Bells)

  • Hibiscus spp. (Hibiscus, Mallow)

  • Iris sppp. (Iris)

  • Sniphofia spp. (Red Hot Poker)

  • Lavandula angustifolia (Lavender)

  • Lespedeza bicolor (Bush Clover)

  • Leucanthemum x superbum (Shasta Daisy)

  • Liatris spicata (Gayfeather)

  • Ligularia sppl (Ligularia)

  • Lupinus spp. (Lupine)

  • Lychnis coronaria (Rose Campion)

  • Lysimachia nummularia (Creeping Jenny)

  • Macleaya cordata (Plume Poppy)

  • Matteuccia struthiopteris (Ostrich Fern)

  • Mertensia virginica (Virginia Bluebells)

  • Monarda spp. (Beebalm, Bergamot)

  • Myosotis sylvatica (Forget-Me-Not)

  • Nepeta (Catmint)

  • Oenothera spp. (Evening Primrose)

  • Paeonia (Peony)

  • Papver spp. (Poppy)

  • Penstemon spp. (Beardtongue)

  • Peroviskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage)

  • Physostegia virginiana (Obedient Plant)

  • Podyphyllum peltatum (Mayapple)

  • Polemonium caeruleum (Jacob’s Ladder)

  • Polygonatum spp. (Solomon’s Seal)

  • Primula spp. (Primrose)

  • Pteridium aquilinum (Bracken Fern)

  • Pulmonaria spp. (Lungwort)

  • Pulsatilla vulgaris (Pasque Flower)

  • Rudbeckia spp. (Black-Eyed Susan)

  • Salvia spp. (Sage)

  • Sapnaria ocymoides (Rock Soapwort)

  • Scabiosa spp. (Pincushion Flower)

  • Sedum spp. (Stonecrop)

  • Sempervivum tectorum (Hen-and-Chicks)

  • Solidago spp. (Goldenrod)

  • Stachys byzantine (Lamb’s Ear)

  • Stachys monieri (Betony)

  • Tanacetum coccineum (Painted Daisy)

  • Tiarella cordifolia (Foamflower)

  • Tradescantia virginiana (Spiderwort)

  • Verbascum spp. (Speedwell)

  • Woodwardia areolata (Chain Fern)

  • Yucca spp. (Adam’s Needle)

vines

  • Akebia quinata (Fiveleaf Akebia)

  • Campsis radicans (Trumpet creeper)

  • Celastrus scandens (American Bittersweet)

  • Clematis spp. (Clematis)

  • Lonicera sempervirens (Trumpet Honeysuckle)

  • Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia Creeper)

  • Parthenocissus tricuspidata (Boston Ivy)

  • Polygonum aubertii (Silver Lace Vine)

  • Wisteria macrostachys (Kentucky Wisteria)

grasses/sedges

  • Briza media Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’ (Feather Reed Grass) Carex spp. (Sedge)

  • Chasmanthium latifolium (Northern Sea Oats)

  • Erianthus ravennae (Ravenna Grass)

  • Festuca glauca (Blue Fescue)

  • Hakonechloa macro ‘Aureola’ (Japanese Forest Grass)

  • Luzula nivea (Wood Rush)

  • Miscanthus spp. (Maiden Grass)

  • Panicum spp. (Switch Grass)

  • Pennisetum spp. (Fountain Grass)

  • Stipa pennata (Feather Grass)

annuals

  • Ageratum houstonianum (Ageratum)

  • Amaranthus tricolor (Joseph’s Coat Amaranth)

  • Antirrhinum majus (Snapdragon)

  • Begonia semperflorens-cultorum hybrids (Wax Begonia)

  • Brugmansia spp. (Datura, Angel’s Trumpet)

  • Calendula officinalis (Pot Marigold)

  • Capsicum annuum (Ornamental Pepper)

  • Catharanthus roseus (Periwinkle)

  • Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower)

  • Cosmos bipinnatus (Cosmos)

  • Dahlia spp. (Dahlia)

  • Euphorbia marginata (Snow-on-the-Mountain)

  • Gaillardia pulchella (Blanket Flower)

  • Gomphrena globosa (Globe Amaranth)

  • Helichrysum bracteatum (Strawflower)

  • Heliotropium arborescens (Heliotrope)

  • Hypoestes phyllostachya (Polka Dot Plant)

  • Ipomoea alba (Moonflower Vine)

  • Ipomoea purpurea (Morning Glory Vine)

  • Lantana spp. (Lantana)

  • Lobelia erinus (Edging Lobelia)

  • Lobularia maritime (Sweet Alyssum)

  • Matthiola incana (Stock)

  • Mirabilis jalapa (Four O’Clock)

  • Mimulus spp. (Monkey Flower)

  • Nierembergia hippomanica var. violacea (Cupflower)

  • Ricinus communis (Castor Bean)

  • Slavia spp. (Sage)

  • Sanvitalia procumbens (Creeping Sanvitalia)

  • Senecio cineraria (Dusty Miller)

  • Tagetes (Marigold)

  • Tithonia rotundifolia (Tithonia)

  • Tropaeolum majus (Nasturtium)

  • Verbena x hybrid (Garden Verbena)

  • Zinnia spp. (Zinnia)

herbs

  • Alliums pp. (Chives)

  • Anethum graveolens (Dill)

  • Angelica archangelica (Angelica)

  • Borago officinalis (Borage)

  • Foeniculum vulgare (Fennel)

  • Hyssopus officinalis (Hyssop)

  • Lavandula angustiflora (Lavender)

  • Levisticum officinale (Lovage)

  • Marrubium vulgare (Horehound)

  • Matricaria recutita (Chamomile)

  • Melissa officinalis (Lemon balm)

  • Mentha spp. (Mint)

  • Nepeta x faassenii (Catmint)

  • Ocimum basilicum (Sweet Basil)

  • Origanum spp. (Oregano)

  • Perilla frutescens (Perilla)

  • Petroselinum crispum (Parsley)

  • Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary)

  • Ruta graveolens (Common Rue)

  • Salvia officinalis (Common Sage)

  • Sanguisorba spp. (Burnet)

  • Santolina chamaecyparissus (Lavender Cotton)

  • Satureja montana (Winter Savory)

  • Symphytum spp. (Comfrey)

  • Tanacetum spp. Teucrium chamaedrys (Wall Germander)

  • Thymus spp. (Thyme)

  • Verbascus spp. (Mullein)

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Please note: This list in not definitive as deer preferences vary by region. Deer in your area may be attracted to some of the plants listed and they may avoid some plants that aren’t included here. The best long-term strategy may be to note which plants they seem to favor or avoid in your yard or neighborhood and plant accordingly. Remember though, that in severe conditions all plants are vulnerable to deer browsing.