The Most Deer Resistant Plants For The Southern United States Print

Modified on: Wed, 23 Oct, 2024 at 9:50 AM


The Most Deer Resistant Plants For The Southern United States
When deer are hungry enough they've been known to eat almost any plant. That being said, over the years I've lived on and shared my property with families of deer, and the plants and trees listed below are ones that deer have always turned their nose up to.


Note:  To see what deer resistant plants we have in stock right now at Wilson Bros Gardens scroll to bottom of page



Trees

Bald Cypress Taxodium distichum
Carolina Silverbell Halesia carolina
Cherry Laurel Prunus laurocerasus
Crape Myrtle Lagerstroemia indica
Dawn Redwood Metasequoia glyptostroboides
Deodar Cedar Cedrus deodara
Eastern Red Cedar Juniperus virginiana L.
Falsecypress Chamaecyparis spp.
Fir Abies spp.
Ginkgo Ginko biloba
Goldenraintree Koelreuteria paniculata
Gordonia Gordonia lasianthus
Japanese Cedar Cryptomeria japonica
Katsura Tree Cercidiphyllum japonicum
Kousa Dogwood Cornus kousa
Pawpaw Asimina triloba
Palm Many genera and species
Pine Pinus spp.
Saucer Magnolia, Japanese Magnolia Magnolia x soulangiana
Southern Magnolia Magnolia grandiflora
Smoketree Cotinus obovatus
Spruce Picea spp.
Sugar Maple Acer saccharum
Sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua
Tulip Poplar Liriodendron tulipifera


Shrubs

Banana Shrub Michelia figo
Barberry Berberis spp.
Beautybush Kolkwitzia amabilis
Bottlebrush Buckeye Aesculus parviflora
Boxwood Buxus spp.
Butterfly Bush Buddleia spp.
Camellia
Common Witchhazel Hamamelis virginiana
Cotoneaster Cotoneaster spp.
Deutzia Deutzia spp.
Leucothoe
European Fan Palm Chamaerops humilis
Pyracantha Pyracantha coccinea
Flowering Quince Chaenomeles speciosa
Gardenia Gardenia spp.
Abelia
Hollies Ilex (Evergreen, not deciduous)
Japanese Andromeda Pieris japonica
Japanese Plum Yew Cephalotaxus
Japanese Rose Kerria japonica
Junipers Juniperus spp.
Needle Palm Rhapidophyllum hystrix
Oleander Nerium oleander
Osmanthus Osmanthus spp.
Pineapple Guava Feijoa sellowiana
Pomegranate Punica granatum
Primrose Jasmine Jasminum mesnyi
Spirea
Sweet Box Sarcoccoca hookeriana
Tea Olive  Osmanthus fragrans & aurianticus
Viburnum (All)
Wax Myrtle Myrica cerifera
Weigela Weigela florida
Winter Daphne Daphne odora
Yucca Yucca filimentosa



Ornamental Grasses

Fountaingrass Pennisetum alopecuroides
Feather Reed Grass Calamagrostis spp.
Hakone Grass Hakonechloa macra
Lemongrass Cymbopogon citratus
Little Bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium
Northern Sea Oats Chasmanthium latifolium
Pampas Grass Cortaderia selloana
Pink Muhly Grass Muhlenbergia capillaris
Purple Moor Grass Molinia caerulea
Ravenna Grass Erianthus ravennae
Sedge Carex spp.
Sweet Flag Acorus spp.
Switch Grass Panicum virgatum



Vines and Groundcover Plants

Bugleweed / Ajuga Ajuga reptans
Columbine Aquilegia spp.
Confederate Jasmine Trachelospermum jasminoides
Creeping Raspberry Rubus calycinoides
Mondograss Ophiopogon japonicus
Japanese Pachysandra Pachysandra terminalis
Junipers
Liriope / Monkeygrass
Plumbago Ceratostigma plumbaginoides
Prostrate Rosemary Rosemarinus officinalis 'Prostratus'
Sweet Woodruff Galium odoratum
Thyme Thymus spp.
Tariling Lantana Lantana montevidensis



Perennials, Bulbs & Herbs

Allium Allium spp.
African Lily Agapanthus spp.
Amaryllis Hippeastrum spp.
Anise Hyssop Agastache spp.
Asters
Astilbe
Balloon Flower Platycodon grandiflorus
Beebalm Monarda didyma
Boltonia 
Bush Cinquefoil Potentilla fruticosa
Butterfly Weed Asclepias tuberosa
Candytuft Iberis spp.
Cardinal Flower Lobelia spp.
Catmint Nepeta spp.
Christmas Fern Polystichum arcostichoides
Cinnamon Fern Osmunda cinnamomea
Columbine Aquilegia spp.
Crinum Lily Crinum spp.
Crocosmia
Crocus
Daffodils Narcissus spp.
Dahlias
Delphinium
Elephant Ears Alocasia spp. / Colocasia spp.
False Indigo Baptisia australis
Foamflower Tiarella cordifolia
Forget-Me-Not Myosotis spp.
Four O'Clock Mirabilis jalapa
Foxglove Digitalis spp.
Gay-feather (Liatris) Liatris spp.
Globe Thistle Echinops spp.
Goldenrod Solidago spp.
Green Jerusalem Sage Phlomis spp.
Hen and Chicks Sempervivum spp.
Iris (All)
Jack-in-the-pulpit Arisaema triphylum
Lamb's Ear Stachys byzantine
Lantana (All)
Larkspur Consolida ambigua
Lavender Lavandula spp.
Lavender-cotton Santolina chamaecyparissus
Lenten Rose Helleborus spp.
Lily-of-the-Nile Agapanthus africanus
Lupine Lupinus spp.
Marjoram Origanum marjorana
May Apple Podophyllum peltatum
Meadow Rue Thalictrum aquilegifolium
Mint Mentha spp.
Money Plant Lunaria annua
Oregano Oreganum vulgare
Peony Paeonia spp.
Perennial Sunflower Helianthus spp.
Pinks/Cottage Pinks Dianthus spp.
Poppy Papaver spp.
Primrose Primula spp.
Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea
Purple Hearts Setcreasea
Rose Campion Lychnis coronaria
Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis
Royal Fern Osmunda regalis
Russian Sage Perovskia atriplicifolia
Snowdrop Galanthus nivalis
Society Garlic Tulbaghia violacea
Speedwell Veronica spp.
Sweet Woodruff Galium odoratum 
Statice Limonium latifolium
Tansy Tanacetum vulgare
Tarragon Artemisia dracunculus
Coreopsis (All)
Toad Lily Tricyrtis hirta
Sage/Salvias (All)
Wallflower Cheiranthus spp.
Wild Indigo Baptisia spp.
Wormwood Artemesia spp.
Yarrow Achillea 


Annuals Plants 

Ageratum 
Alyssum Lobularia spp.
Annual Salvia Salvia spp.
Baby's Breath Gypsophila spp.
Bachelor's Buttons Centaurea cyanus
Basil Ocimum basilicum
Calendula, Pot Marigold Calendula officinalis
California Poppy Eschscholzia californica
Cock's Comb Celosia spp.
Dusty Miller Centaurea cineraria
Euphorbia
Flowering Tobacco Nicotiana spp.
Lantana (All)
Marigold Tagetes spp.
Parsley Petroselinum crispum
Scarlet Sage Salvia coccinea
Swedish Ivy Plectranthus spp.
Snapdragon Antirrhinum majus
Spiderflower Cleome spp.
Strawflower Bracteantha bracteata
Stock Matthiola incana
Sweet Pea Lathyrus odoratus
Verbena (All)
Vinca / Periwinkle Catharanthus spp.


If you know of other plants that have demonstrated a good resistance to deer let me know and I'll add them to this list and give you credit for it!

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