One of the most common questions people ask us at the nursery is “what can I plant that is Deer Resistant?” Living in the Hudson Valley we all know the deer are everywhere, so finding the perfect plant that won’t get destroyed is important when planning your garden. Unfortunately, the answer is not as simple as we would all like it to be.
Below is a list of several recommendations by our expert nursery staff that deer are not as fond of as others. We emphasize the fact however that we cannot guarantee these plants to be 100% deer resistant. While deer do tend to favor some plants and flowers over others, there are always times when, if they are hungry enough, deer will eat almost anything. Some experts even say “no plant is truly deer resistant.” So, while we can’t guarantee it, these plants will at least be less attractive to deer than others. At the bottom of the page is a list of some of the flowers and plants deer love the most as well. One good rule of thumb is that if the plant puts of a very distinct smell such as Oregano, Marigolds and Mint, the deer are more likely to stay away.
Another good suggestion is to plant a barrier around deer favorite plants, with a row of something they don’t like. As an example, Hostas are like candy to deer, but they hate marigolds, one of our customers planted a row or two of Marigolds around their Hosta plants and the deer haven’t touched them since.
Plants Deer DON’T Love:
Astilbe
Autumn Mint
Bee Balm
Black eyed Susan
Bleeding Heart
Boxwood Varieties
Butterfly Bush
Callicarpa “Beauty Berry”
Clematis
Clethra
Columbine
Daffodil
Dahlia
Ferns
Forsythia
Goldenrod
Honeysuckle
Hyssop
Iris’s
Lavender
Lily of the Valley
Lobelia
Marigolds
Mint
Morning Glory
Mountain Laurel
Oregano
Ornamental Grasses
Passionflower
Peonies
Petunia
Purple Sand Cherry
Russian Sage
Salvia
Sedum
Spirea
Verbena
Viburnum
Plants Deer Love:
Apples
Cherries
Crocus
Daylily
Evergreen azaleas
Plums
Rhododendrons
Roses
Tulips
Holly
Hydrangea
Hosta
Baptisia ‘False Indigo’
Shasta Daisy
