4 Traits of Plants Deer Won’t Eat

Susan Martin

 

Got deer? Gardening where Bambi calls home can be a real challenge, but we are here to help. There are a few traits to look for when selecting plants deer won’t eat. We refer to them as the “3 Fs and a P” – fine, fuzzy, fragrant and poisonous.  If you struggle with deer browsing in your garden, read on and don’t miss the important reference lists you’ll want to save.

One note before we dig in—deer resistance is a relative term. Some plants are rarely browsed by deer, while others are occasionally eaten if nothing else palatable is nearby. No plants are truly deer proof, but by being selective about what you grow, you can make good progress in deterring them from browsing in your landscape.

Photo courtesy of Proven Winners

Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners®

Gin Fizz® juniper is one of few evergreens that is rarely browsed by deer.

Deer Don’t Bother with Finely Textured Plants

Did you know that deer eat about 6% to 8% of their entire body weight in plants every day from spring through fall? That’s a whole lot of green! Considering they eat primarily from dusk to dawn, they must maximize their time and focus on finding lots of ruffage. Finely textured plants don’t seem to be worth their while. They tend to pass them by in favor of something “meatier”.

These finely textured plants tend to be deer resistant:

Lungwort

The fuzzy leaves of ‘Spot On’ lungwort make it unpalatable to deer.

Fuzzy Textured Plants are Unpalatable to Deer

Would you like the feeling of having cotton in your mouth? Deer don’t either. Plants whose leaves or stems are covered in fine hairs aren’t as easy to swallow as those with succulent or tender leaves, so they often get passed by. You might have to look very closely to see those fine hairs, but deer know. Remember, they don’t have a bowl of water sitting next to them to wash those leaves down.  

These fuzzy textured plants tend to be deer resistant:

Photo courtesy of Proven Winners

Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners®

Deer tend to avoid ornamental herbs like Upscale® ‘Pink Chenille’ bee balm due to their aromatic foliage.

Fragrance Can Deter Deer

Deer have a highly developed sense of smell that is thought to be 1000 times greater than humans. It is critical to their survival in the wild. In gardens, this trait can work to our advantage by making some plants more deer resistant. Plants with foliage that is fragrant when it is crushed or chewed tend to be the most resistant, but some plants with highly fragrant flowers are also deer resistant. Roses are an exception – deer will eat fragrant rose flowers.

Some popular garden perennials that are actually ornamental herbs tend to be highly deer resistant because of their pungent scented foliage and, in some cases, their flowers are fragrant too. When you shop, rub a plant’s leaves gently between your fingers to see if they are fragrant. If so, it is likely to have at least some deer resistance.

These fragrant plants tend to be deer resistant:

• Summer snapdragon (Angelonia)
• Lantana
• Perennial salvia and annual salvia
• Wishbone flower (Torenia)
• Ornamental onion (Allium)
• Bee balm (Monarda)
• Anise hyssop (Agastache)
• Lavender (Lavandula)
• Catmint (Nepeta)
• Russian sage (Perovskia)
• Yarrow (Achillea)
• Sweetshrub (Calycanthus)
• Boxwood (Buxus)
• Summersweet (Clethra)
• False Cypress (Chamaecyparis)
• Lilacs (Syringa)
• Mock orange (Philadelphus)
• Viburnums – especially fragrant cultivars
• Sweet box (Sarcococca)

Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens Inc.

Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens Inc.

Deer know to avoid poisonous plants like Lenten roses. Pictured is Honeymoon® ‘French Kiss’.

Deer Avoid Poisonous Plants

Deer are smart creatures and have a good memory. They instinctively know which plants are poisonous or irritating to their mouth or stomach. Though they may sample a small amount of such plants, the large volume and variety of foods they eat in a single day usually counteracts any irritation they may experience. That means they may take a bite or two of the plants listed below, but they typically will not consume the entire plant or browse it repeatedly.

These plants are poisonous or cause irritation to deer:

• Canna lilies
• Bleeding heart (Dicentra)
• Lenten rose (Helleborus)
• Milkweed (Asclepias)
• Spurge (Euphorbia)
• Spiderwort (Tradescantia)
• Barberry
• Irises
• Peonies (Paeonia)
• Bluestar (Amsonia)
• Doghobble (Leucothoe)
• Oleander (Nerium)
• Trumpet bush (Tecoma)

Shopping for deer resistant plants becomes so much easier when you remember the three Fs and one P! Bookmark this page for reference, then be sure to assess the plants you buy for their fine, fuzzy, fragrant or poisonous attributes to avoid trouble with deer browsing in your landscape.

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