You may love your wildlife but don’t love that they eat all your plants. While no plant is 100% safe from deer, some plants tend to be more deer resistant than others. Continue reading to learn about Jane’s favorite Deer Resistant Plants and Flowers.
Sprays and Physical Barriers
If you love your hostas and hydrangeas and you just have to have them in your yard, there are deer-resistant sprays that can be sprayed on your plants. While they are effective, they have a very strong smell and must be reapplied frequently. Fences can also keep out our furry friends, but remember; they can jump over fences easily.
Perennials and Annuals
A small list of perennials and annuals tend to be more deer resistant than others. For example, Catmint is a perennial that produces a smell that deer do not like. Foxglove is a tall blooming perennial that deer won’t touch due to its taste. Other perennials that deer steer away from are heliotrope, dusty miller, and Daphne odora.
Shrubs
Unlike the perennial and annual list, there is a longer list of shrubs that deer don’t crave. The first shrubs on the deer-resistant list are the cryptomeria. Cryptomeria is a softer evergreen that grows up to 5 feet tall and wide. Deer do not like the texture of the evergreen leaf.
The Spreading Japanese Plum Yew is also an evergreen with fine needle-like leaves. The deer, again, do not like the texture of this plant. The Spreading Plum Yew grows 2-3 feet tall and 3-4 feet wide.
Butterfly bushes, or buddleia, typically are deer resistant as the deer do not like the aroma of the flower. However, before the plant blooms, the deer may eat the leaves. Therefore, this plant may be a good candidate for deer spray while you wait for the flowers to bloom.
Boxwoods, or Buxus, is a genus of shrubs that can safely be categorized as deer-proof instead of deer-resistant. Deer do not eat boxwoods due to the high alkaloid content that is both toxic to deer and humans. Additionally, boxwoods have a pungent odor that deer despise. Therefore, boxwoods are the safest bet if you live in the middle of the woods!