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.
The Heart to Heart® Scarlet Flame Caladium, with large pink and red leaves edged in green, grows in dark soil next to green hosta plants - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCHeart to Heart® Scarlet Flame Caladium, featuring vibrant pink and green strap-shaped leaves, grows by a stone wall amid pink flowers, white blooms, and lush greenery - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Heart to Heart® 'Scarlet Flame' Caladium

$24.99
$24.99

A close-up of Heart to Heart® 'Splash of Wine' Caladium displays large, heart-shaped leaves with pink, white, and green patterns and prominent veins. The plant sits in a brown pot against a softly blurred background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC. Decorative pot not included.Close-up of Heart to Heart® 'Splash of Wine' Caladium leaves featuring pink centers, green veins, and creamy edges in an overlapping pattern. The vibrant, delicately veined foliage adds standout color to shade gardens. - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Heart to Heart® 'Splash of Wine' Caladium

$24.99
$24.99
Vibrant Heart to Heart® 'Tickle Me Pink' Caladium features heart-shaped leaves with pink centers, green edges, and white speckles. Overlapping foliage creates a lush, eye-catching display perfect for adding color indoors or out - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCThe Heart to Heart® 'Tickle Me Pink' Caladium features large, heart-shaped leaves with bright pink centers, marbled green and white patterns, and dark green edges for a vibrant, eye-catching display - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Heart to Heart® 'Tickle Me Pink' Caladium

$24.99
$24.99

A close-up of heart-shaped foliage from Heart to Heart® White Wonder Caladium, displaying white leaves with green edges and pink veins that overlap to create a striking, natural pattern - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A Heart to Heart® White Wonder Caladium with heart-shaped, pale green leaves edged in dark green and veined in pink sits in a beige speckled ceramic pot against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Heart to Heart® 'White Wonder' Caladium

$24.99
$24.99

A close-up of a Heart to Heart® 'Xplosion' Caladium displays heart-shaped, vibrant green and red leaves with white speckles in a black pot, surrounded by lush greenery - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC. Decorative pot not included.The Heart to Heart® 'Xplosion' Caladium features large, heart-shaped leaves with green edges, deep red veins, and white splashes, presented in a textured light ceramic pot against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Heart to Heart® 'Xplosion' Caladium

$24.99
$24.99
Heart to Heart® Fast Flash Caladium displays vibrant pink-centered leaves with green edges and white speckles on a wooden surface - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA Heart to Heart® Fast Flash Caladium with heart-shaped leaves, bright red centers, and dark green edges in a beige ceramic pot is shown against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Heart to Heart® Fast Flash™ Caladium

$24.99
$24.99

Close-up of Heart to Heart® Heart's Delight Caladium leaves, featuring deep red centers and bright green edges. Their unique heart-shaped patterns make this colorful plant a stunning addition to any garden - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.The Heart to Heart® Heart's Delight Caladium features large, vibrant pink heart-shaped leaves with green edges, displayed in a beige decorative pot against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Heart to Heart® Heart's Delight Caladium

$24.99
$24.99
The Heart to Heart® 'Snow Flurry' Caladium, featuring green and white heart-shaped leaves, stands out as a shade-loving container plant in a textured cream ceramic pot against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.Large, heart-shaped green leaves with bold white speckles and marbling overlap densely - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Heart to Heart® Snow Flurry Caladium

$24.99
$24.99
Heart to Heart® 'Va Va Violet' Caladium features large, heart-shaped leaves with pink centers, light green edges, and white and green speckles - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCHeart to Heart® 'Va Va Violet' Caladium features vibrant heart-shaped leaves with pink centers and green edges with overlapping foliage that creates a striking, colorful display - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Heart to Heart® Va Va Violet™ Caladium

$24.99
$24.99
Vibrant Hearts on Fire' Bleeding Heart plant with bright yellow-green leaves and clusters of red flowers with white tips, photographed in a garden setting. - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A flowering Hearts on Fire' Bleeding Heart with bright yellow-green leaves and clusters of red heart-shaped flowers, growing outdoors in mulch with a stone wall and greenery in the background. - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Hearts on Fire' Bleeding Heart (Dicentra)

$19.99
$19.99
A close-up of a pale yellow Honeymoon® 'California Dreaming' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) with delicate petals, yellow stamens, and surrounded by green leaves and buds - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Honeymoon® 'California Dreaming' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99
A close-up shows a person holding a Honeymoon® 'French Kiss' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) with pale purple petals, dark purple edges, and clustered white and dark purple stamens; the background has blurred people and shaded gardens - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A close-up of Honeymoon® 'French Kiss' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) flowers featuring pale white and purple petals with yellow-green centers and fine purple veining, ideal for brightening shade gardens - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Honeymoon® 'French Kiss' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99
A close-up of a light green Honeymoon® 'Irish Luck' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) with five petals, dark purple center markings, and pale yellow stamens. Two fingers gently hold this shade perennial; green leaves appear in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Honeymoon® 'Irish Luck' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99
A close-up of the Honeymoon® 'New York Night' Lenten Rose (Helleborus), displaying its dark purple-black petals and bright yellow-green center, gently held by a person's fingers among green leaves in a shade garden - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of Honeymoon® 'New York Night' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) with dark purple blooms and pale yellow stamens, showcased among green leaves in a shady garden - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Honeymoon® 'New York Night' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99
A hand holds a Honeymoon® 'Paris in Pink' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) with five pink petals and a yellow-white center, shown close-up against a blurred green background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of several pale purple and white Honeymoon® 'Paris in Pink' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) flowers with yellow centers and delicate petals, surrounded by green leaves and darker parts, arranged closely together - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Honeymoon® 'Paris in Pink' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99
A close-up of a Honeymoon® 'Rio Carnival' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) shows cream-yellow petals with maroon-purple splotches and a green, spiky center, framed by lush green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A cluster of pale yellow Honeymoon® 'Rio Carnival' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) flowers with bold dark purple splotches and speckles, featuring prominent yellow-green stamens, set against a dark background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Honeymoon® 'Rio Carnival' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99

Three Honeymoon® 'Romantic Getaway' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) flowers display white petals with deep maroon centers, yellow-green stamens, and are framed by green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Honeymoon® 'Romantic Getaway' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99

A close-up of Honeymoon® 'Rome in Red' Lenten Rose (Helleborus), a deep burgundy perennial with yellow stamens, surrounded by green leaves and softly blurred background foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of the Honeymoon® 'Rome in Red' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) features clusters of deep purple blooms with yellow-green centers and bright stamens - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Honeymoon® 'Rome in Red' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99

A hand gently holds a Honeymoon® 'Sandy Shores' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) bloom, its creamy pink petals with maroon speckles standing out against a backdrop of lush green shade perennial foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.The Honeymoon® 'Sandy Shores' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) features pale cream blooms with deep purple centers, yellow-tipped stamens, and is surrounded by green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Honeymoon® 'Sandy Shores' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99

Close-up of the Honeymoon® 'Spanish Flare' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) features pale yellow blooms with broad petals and white-tipped stamens, nestled among green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Cream-colored flowers with dark maroon centers and yellow-green stamens cluster on a dark backdrop, highlighting the unique beauty of Honeymoon® 'Spanish Flare' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Honeymoon® 'Spanish Flare' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99

A hand holds a Honeymoon® 'Swiss Alps' Lenten Rose (Helleborus), its white petals with dark maroon centers and creamy yellow stamens contrasted against green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Honeymoon® 'Swiss Alps' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$21.99
$21.99

Honeymoon® 'Tropical Sunset' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) features pale yellow flowers with purple-edged petals and bright yellow stamens - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A close-up of Honeymoon® 'Tropical Sunset' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) with yellow petals edged in dark red, veined details, and a central cluster of stamens amid green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Honeymoon® 'Tropical Sunset' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99

A lush garden bed with vibrant green Kimberly Queen Queen Ferns (Nephrolepis), pink begonias, small white flowers, and dark broad-leaf plants bordered by stones - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A Kimberly Queen Fern (Nephrolepis) hangs lush and green, accented by yellow and purple flowers in front of a tan stone wall - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC. Decorative pot not included.

Kimberly Queen Queen Fern (Nephrolepis)

$17.99
$17.99

Close-up of Boulevard® Kitty™ Clematis, a white compact flower with large petals and pale pinkish-purple stamens, set against a blurred green background - Photo Courtesy of Donahue's Clematis

Kitty™ Boulevard® Clematis

FREE
FREE
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.