Deer-Resistant Shade Plants

Shaded spots can be hard to fill, and even more so to keep grazing deer away from. Deer-resistant plants are the secret to a low-stress garden. Bitter and unappetizing to deer, they provide colorful foliage and texture in your low-light area. 

Our curated collection at Garden Crossings includes deer-resistant shade perennials, annuals, and shrubs built for strong performance in challenging spots. Explore our plants!

A deer with light brown fur grazes on green plants in a garden, surrounded by trees and lush vegetation.
Tall stalks filed with soft pink blooms of the Peppermint Patty' Pigsqueak (Bergenia), with large, thick leaves against a blurred background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Close-up of the soft pink Peppermint Patty' Pigsqueak (Bergenia) blooms against a blurred background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Peppermint Patty' Pigsqueak (Bergenia)

$18.99
$18.99

Clusters of small, bell-shaped 'Pink-a-Blue' Lungwort (Pulmonaria) flowers in blue and pink bloom early in the season above green leaves speckled with white - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A dense bush of 'Pink-a-Blue' Lungwort (Pulmonaria) with green, spotted leaves and clusters of small funnel-shaped pink and blue flowers blooms early in the season, thriving in soil - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

'Pink-a-Blue' Lungwort (Pulmonaria)

$19.99
$19.99

A garden bed with green and purple leafy plants, featuring 'Purple Queen' Purple Spiderwort (Tradescantia) as a striking ground cover over stacked stone edging, surrounded by grass and rocks - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A decorative pot with vibrant yellow flowers and 'Purple Queen' Purple Spiderwort (Tradescantia) sits on concrete, surrounded by green ground cover in a lush garden - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC. Decorative pot not included.

'Purple Queen' Purple Spiderwort (Tradescantia)

$10.99
$10.99
Large, heart-shaped leaves with silver-white surfaces and dark green veins form a dense cluster in 'Queen of Hearts' Siberian Bugloss (Brunnera), creating a striking mounding ground cover among surrounding greenery - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.'Queen of Hearts' Siberian Bugloss (Brunnera) features large, heart-shaped green leaves with silvery-white veins and a slightly rough texture - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Queen of Hearts' Siberian Bugloss (Brunnera)

$19.99
$19.99

Close-up of Ragin Cajun' Spigelia features dense clusters of bright red and yellow tubular flowers and pointed green leaves, creating a striking hummingbird plant in the garden with blurred foliage in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A dense cluster of 'Ragin Cajun' Spigelia, a native perennial prized for attracting hummingbirds, displays upright bright red flower spikes amid other blooms in a vibrant garden - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Ragin Cajun' Spigelia

$20.99
$20.99

Close-up of 'Raspberry Splash' Lungwort (Pulmonaria), a shade-loving plant featuring clusters of pink and purple trumpet-shaped flowers above elongated green leaves with white spots - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Clusters of small pink and purple flowers bloom among green leaves with white spots, highlighting the unique foliage of ‘Raspberry Splash’ Lungwort (Pulmonaria - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Raspberry Splash' Lungwort (Pulmonaria)

$19.99
$19.99

A close-up of the vibrant 'Rebecca Cawthorne' Perennial Violet (Viola) showcases its purple and white blooms with green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Top-down view of 'Rebecca Cawthorne' Perennial Violet (Viola) with ruffled petals in shades of deep violet, lavender, and creamy yellow-white, accented by green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Rebecca Cawthorne' Perennial Violet (Viola)

$17.99
$17.99
'Rise and Shine' Chinese Astilbe features tall clusters of vibrant hot pink blooms above lush green foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.'Rise and Shine' Chinese Astilbe features tall, feathery hot pink blooms above lush green foliage that fills the frame. Blurred greenery and a wood fence in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Rise and Shine' Chinese Astilbe

$18.99
$18.99

A close-up of 'Silver Moon' Clematis, a shade-loving variety with large silvery-mauve flowers featuring six broad petals and yellow stamens, set among green leaves and bamboo stakes in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A close-up of 'Silver Moon' Clematis in bloom shows six large silvery-mauve petals and yellow stamens at the center, all set against lush green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Silver Moon' Clematis

$20.99
$20.99

A cluster of 'Snowbells' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) displays white flowers with yellow centers, emerging from green stems and leaves above soil, with the blooms standing out against a dark background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A cluster of 'Snowbells' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) blooms with white petals, yellow centers, and green stems set against a dark background. The delicate flowers slightly overlap, with green leaves at the base - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Snowbells' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$20.99
$20.99

Close-up of ‘Spot On’ Lungwort (Pulmonaria) features green leaves with white spots and clusters of small pink and purple flowers - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A cluster of 'Spot On' Lungwort (Pulmonaria) shows green leaves with white spots and purple-blue and pink blooms, thriving in mulched soil with a yellow-green shade plant in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Spot On' Lungwort (Pulmonaria)

$19.99
$19.99

'Vision in Red' Chinese Astilbe displays magenta-purple feathery plumes above green serrated leaves surrounded by green plants - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.‘Vision in Red’ Chinese Astilbe features tall, feathery purple flower spikes above green, fern-like foliage. Tall grasses are slightly blurred in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Vision in Red' Chinese Astilbe

$18.99
$18.99
Tall, raspberry-pink plumes of ‘Visions’ Chinese Astilbe rise above green foliage, creating a striking display in shade gardens - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.'Visions' Chinese Astilbe produces dense clusters of raspberry pink blooms above deep green foliage, making it an ideal shade garden plant with vibrant flower spikes against lush leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Visions' Chinese Astilbe

$18.99
$18.99
Close-up of a 'Webmaster' Spiderwort (Tradescantia) flower with three purple petals, yellow stamens, and long green leaves. Other similar perennial flowers and buds appear among the surrounding foliage - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.'Webmaster' Spiderwort (Tradescantia) features slender green leaves and small purple flowers, thriving in mulched garden beds among grass and lush greenery - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

'Webmaster' Spiderwort (Tradescantia)

$15.99
$19.99 $15.99
Close-up of 'Wojo's Jem' Vinca Vine (Vinca) leaves with dark green edges and creamy yellow centers on slender stems. This dense, oval-shaped ground cover is deer resistant and adds texture to any garden - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.Close-up of Wojo's Jem Vinca Vine's dense, glossy green leaves with yellow variegation. The deer-resistant foliage features pointed tips, creating a vibrant, textured pattern - -

'Wojo's Jem' Vinca Vine (Vinca)

$10.99
$10.99

A dense patch of yellow-flowering Woodland Elf' Barrenwort (Epimedium), with delicate blooms and elongated, reddish-green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.'Woodland Elf' Barrenwort (Epimedium) is a bushy groundcover with yellow flowers and long green leaves tinged reddish-brown beside a trellis fences and rocks in a garden bed - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Woodland Elf' Barrenwort (Epimedium)

$18.69
$21.99 $18.69
Close-up of a Catalina® Gilded Grape™ Wishbone Flower (Torenia) with a dark purple center, rounded yellow petals, and green leaves. This shade to sun plant also displays a small drop of water on its upper petal. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCClose-up of Catalina® Gilded Grape™ Wishbone Flower (Torenia), ideal for hanging baskets or shade to sun spots. Features yellow blooms with purple centers, dark throats, and lush green foliage on rounded, tubular petals - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Catalina® Gilded Grape™ Wishbone Flower (Torenia)

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of Catalina® Grape-O-Licious™ Wishbone Flower (Torenia) with white petals and deep purple centers, surrounded by green leaves and unopened buds - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of a cluster of Catalina® Grape-O-Licious™ Wishbone Flowers (Torenia) features white blooms with purple centers and yellow accents, surrounded by green foliage - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Catalina® Grape-O-Licious™ Wishbone Flower (Torenia)

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of Catalina® Midnight Blue Wishbone Flower (Torenia) with vibrant purple petals and yellow-white centers, blooming in clusters among lush green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of Catalina® Midnight Blue Wishbone Flower (Torenia) in full bloom with striking purple-and-white petals, yellow centers, and lush green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Catalina® Midnight Blue Wishbone Flower (Torenia)

$10.99
$10.99

A close-up of a Catalina® Pink Wishbone Flower (Torenia), a top shade annual, with vibrant pink and purple petals, a yellow center, green leaves, and a nearby bud - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A lush green bush covered with numerous small, trumpet-shaped Catalina® Pink Wishbone Flowers (Torenia) grows beside a paved surface - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Catalina® Pink Wishbone Flower (Torenia)

$10.99
$10.99
Close-up of vibrant Colorblaze® Cherry Drop Coleus leaves with deep burgundy centers, bright pink veins, and serrated lime green edges - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A potted Colorblaze® Cherry Drop Coleus with dense, trailing leaves in deep red, pink, and green shades edged in light green sits in a square beige container against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

ColorBlaze® Cherry Drop Coleus

$10.99
$10.99
Colorblaze® Chocolate Drop Coleus features trailing foliage with green-edged, deep burgundy centers, serrated margins, and a striking mix of light and dark patterns - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of Colorblaze® Chocolate Drop Coleus shows trailing leaves with jagged edges, deep burgundy centers, and green-yellow borders. The dense foliage is vibrantly colored and very eye-catching - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

ColorBlaze® Chocolate Drop Coleus

$10.99
$10.99

A Colorblaze® Dipt In Wine Coleus, known for deer resistance and dark burgundy leaves edged in green, is displayed in a ribbed brown square pot against a coral pink background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.A cluster of Colorblaze® Dipt In Wine Coleus with large red and yellow-green variegated leaves, grows by a brick wall and window, accented with small purple flowers at its base - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Colorblaze® Dipt In Wine Coleus

$10.99
$10.99

Colorblaze Lime Time Coleus features a dense cluster of sun-tolerant, bright lime-green serrated leaves that overlap to create a lush, vibrant ground cover - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCThe sun-tolerant Colorblaze® Lime Time® Coleus, with its bright green scalloped leaves, creates a vibrant garden display alongside blooming white and purple petunias and small pink flowers - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Colorblaze® Lime Time® Coleus

$10.99
$10.99

ColorBlaze® deer-resistant shade annuals

Help Your Garden Thrive with Deer-Resistant Shade Plants

Deer aren’t so cute when they’re browsing on your annuals and perennial plants! To keep these hungry critters away, focus on plants with substantial texture, strong scents, or leathery leaves. 

Our deer-resistant plants for shade are the perfect place to start. They thrive where light is limited, where even deer are frequent visitors. Whether you’re working under trees, along shaded fences, or in cool corners of your yard, these plants help protect your investment.

deer-resistant boxwood shade plant

Protect Your Garden from Browsing Deer

While no plants are truly ‘deer-resistant,’ these perennials, annuals, and garden shrubs serve as your first line of defense against these critters. 

At Garden Crossings, we’ve selected each of these plants for your growing needs and USDA Hardiness Zone to support success in your outdoor space. We personally inspect our plants before shipping for appearance, quality, and performance. Shop online!

FAQs

No plants are 100% deer-proof. Hungry deer will eat almost anything if food is scarce! However, they often avoid plants with fuzzy textures, bitter tastes, and toxic compounds.

There are a few characteristics that deer generally dislike:

  • Leathery or tough textures that are difficult for them to chew
  • Fuzzy stems and leaves, which make the plant unappealing to eat and touch
  • Strong scents
  • Milky, toxic sap acts as a deterrent.

Some of the best deer-resistant plants for shade include hellebores, ferns, and coral bells. These plants thrive in low light while deterring wildlife with their tough and unappealing foliage.