Plants and Shrubs that Deer Don’t Like and Won’t Usually Eat

Gardeners can plan a garden around flowers and shrubs that deer do not normally eat. The animals tend to stay away from thorny, fuzzy and fragrant shrubs or flowers, if there is enough food in nature.

Cornell University researchers have observed whitetail deer for years and have come to this conclusion, ‚”Deer have a tendency to nibble on items that are unpalatable if they are located in their feeding area. If deer pressure is high and food is scarce they will eat almost anything.”

Cornell Recommendations

Cornell recommends protecting new garden plantings with both fencing and repellents. They recommend spraying often during the growth season because the effects of the repellent wear off quickly. The best thing a homeowner can do to deter deer is know their foraging habits and plant your garden with these habits in mind.

In addition to the proper sun, water and soil needs, check on whether these plants will grow in your USDA Hardiness Zone.

Foxglove

The foxglove flower (Digitalis purpurea) is not attractive to deer, but it will bring bees and butterflies to the garden. The blooms are in lavender, cream and white and they resemble a small bell. The foxglove is a good choice for a drought tolerant garden; it needs minimal water once established. It will thrive in partial or full sun. Foxglove will grow in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 9.

Fernleaf Yarrow

Deer tend to stay away from fernleaf yarrow (Achillea filipendulina) because of its texture and pungent scent. Yarrow is a tough plant; it flourishes in full sun, is drought tolerant once established and is not fussy about soil. The flowers are good dried and in bouquets. Blooms appear in a range of white, gold and cream. Yarrow self-propagates and spreads through rhizomes, so be careful that it doesn’t take over the rest of the garden. Fernleaf yarrow will grow in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 10.

Heather

Heather (Calluna vulgaris) will fill in the garden as a medium shrub that will bring abundant flowers and repel deer. It grows about 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide, in a full-or-part sun garden. Heather needs rich, well-drained soil and moderate water. Late-summer blooming flowers will fill your garden with colors that include white, yellow, green, lavender and rose. Heather will grow in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 through 6.

Lilac Bush

The lilac bush (Syringa x prestoniae) grows up to 12 feet tall and brings color and foundation to the garden. The fragrant flowers bloom in colors that include pink, purple and lavender. Lilac bushes grow best in well-drained, rich soil with full sun. The bush needs moderate water to thrive. This lilac does not appeal to deer and will grow in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 8.

Cornell’s List of Plants

Cornell University researchers have developed a comprehensive list of plants that deer tend to stay away from. The scientists remind gardeners however that if deer are starving, they will eat almost anything.