Deer Resistant Plants

If deer treat your garden like an all-you-can-eat buffet, you are not alone. Millions of gardeners deal with browsing damage every season, and the frustration of watching new plantings get nibbled to the ground is real. The good news: plenty of beautiful plants have traits that deer tend to avoid, including strong scents, fuzzy or leathery foliage, bitter-tasting sap, and thorny stems.

Nature Hills carries one of the largest selections of deer resistant plants available online, from flowering shrubs and ornamental grasses to evergreen trees and low-growing perennials. Every plant ships at the right time for your zone, so it arrives ready to establish strong roots before deer pressure picks up in fall and winter.

Our Most Popular Deer Resistant Plants

These are some of the top-rated deer resistant plants our customers come back to season after season:

Green Giant Arborvitae (Thuja standishii x plicata 'Green Giant') — One of the fastest-growing privacy trees at 3 to 5 feet per year in zones 5 through 8. Deer find the foliage far less palatable than other arborvitae varieties. A workhorse for screens and windbreaks.
Korean Spice Viburnum (Viburnum carlesii) — Intensely fragrant pink-to-white flower clusters in spring. Deer tend to pass it by. Thrives in zones 5 through 9 and reaches 4 to 5 feet tall. Also draws butterflies and other pollinators.
Wine and Roses Weigela (Weigela florida 'Alexandra') — Deep purple foliage with rosy-pink trumpet flowers that attract hummingbirds all summer. Grows 5 feet tall and wide in zones 4 through 8. Deer resistant and low maintenance.
Heavy Metal Switch Grass (Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal') — Striking metallic blue-green blades on a narrow, upright form. Native to North America, drought tolerant, and deer resistant. Reaches 3 to 4 feet in zones 4 through 9. Gorgeous yellow fall color.
Sarah Bernhardt Peony (Paeonia lactiflora 'Sarah Bernhardt') — Massive 9-inch double pink blooms with an intense fragrance. Deer and rabbits leave peonies alone. A long-lived perennial (100+ years in the right spot) for zones 3 through 8.
Berry Poppins Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata 'FARROWBPOP') — Copious red berries on bare winter branches create a showstopping display. Native, deer resistant, and bird friendly. Compact at 3 to 4 feet for zones 3 through 9.

How to Choose Deer Resistant Plants

No plant is truly "deer proof." When deer are hungry enough (especially in late winter), they will sample almost anything. But deer resistant plants have one or more traits that put them low on the menu:

Strong scent — Lavender, Russian sage, and catmint produce aromatic oils deer dislike.
Fuzzy or leathery leaves — Lamb's ear, hellebores, and many ornamental grasses have textures deer avoid.
Bitter or toxic compounds — Boxwood, daffodils, and ferns are naturally unappetizing.
Thorns and spines — Barberry, holly, and hawthorn deter browsing physically.

When building a deer resistant garden, layer multiple plant types so you have year-round coverage. Mix evergreen structure (arborvitae, boxwood, juniper) with seasonal color (peony, viburnum, butterfly bush) and textural grasses (switch grass, fountain grass). This approach looks better than a single-species planting and gives deer fewer openings.

Planting and Care Tips for Deer Resistant Gardens

Deer resistant plants still need proper care to thrive, especially during the first growing season:

Water deeply at planting. Soaking the root zone helps plants establish quickly. Strong, healthy plants resist both deer and stress better than struggling ones.
Mulch 2 to 3 inches around the base. Mulch conserves moisture and suppresses weeds. Keep it a few inches away from stems to prevent rot.
Group plants by light and moisture needs. Putting sun-loving lavender next to shade-preferring hellebores sets both up to fail. Match growing conditions to plant requirements.
Add physical barriers for new plantings. Even deer resistant plants can get sampled when they are small. Temporary fencing or netting for the first season gives transplants time to get established.