Deer-resistant plants for California
Mule deer and black-tailed deer, with year-round forage and no winter shortage. Mediterranean plants thrive here. Filtered to plants hardy in USDA zones 7 to 10, which covers most of California. Mountain and coastal areas fall outside that range, so check your own zone before ordering.
424 plants · page 6 of 8
Usually fine60
Judd Viburnum
Viburnum x juddii
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
Koreanspice Viburnum
Viburnum carlesii
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–7
- Height
- 48–72 in
Kousa Dogwood
Cornus kousa
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 240–360 in
Lady's Mantle
Alchemilla sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range
Lance Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 12–36 in
Lantana
Lantana camara
Seldom damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 12–72 in
Large Beardtongue
Penstemon grandiflorus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 48–48 in
Large Periwinkle
Vinca major
Seldom damaged- Type
- Groundcover
- Hardiness
- Zones 7–9
- Height
- 3–8 in
Leadplant
Amorpha canescens
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–9
- Height
- 36–36 in
Leatherleaf Viburnum
Viburnum rhytidophyllum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 120–180 in
Lilyturf
Liriope sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Groundcover
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–10, genus range
Lobelia
Lobelia erinus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 6–9 in
Lupine
Lupinus sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8, genus range
Lyreleaf Greeneyes
Berlandiera lyrata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–10
- Height
- 48–48 in
Maltese Cross
Lychnis chalcedonica
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 20–40 in
Marigold
Tagetes patula
Seldom damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 6–12 in
Mist Flower
Conoclinium coelestinum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–10
- Height
- 18–36 in
Money Plant
Lunaria annua
Seldom damaged- Type
- Biennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 24–36 in
Mosquito Plant
Agastache cana
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 36–36 in
Mountain Juniper
Juniperus scopulorum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 360–480 in
Mugo Pine
Pinus mugo
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–7
- Height
- 240–300 in
Mullein
Verbascum sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8, genus range
Nasturtium
Tropaeolum majus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 12–120 in
New England Aster
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 36–84 in
Norway Spruce
Picea abies
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–7
- Height
- 480–720 in
Obedient Plant
Physostegia sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9, genus range
Oneseed Juniper
Juniperus monosperma
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 480–480 in
Oriental Poppy
Papaver orientale
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 24–36 in
Pale Purple Coneflower
Echinacea pallida
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–10
- Height
- 24–24 in
Paperbark Maple
Acer griseum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 240–360 in
Patrinia
Patrinia scabiosifolia
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 36–72 in
Perennial Candytuft
Iberis sempervirens
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 6–12 in
Perennial Salvia
Salvia nemorosa
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 18–36 in
Periwinkle
Vinca minor
Seldom damaged- Type
- Groundcover
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 3–6 in
Pfitzer Juniper
Juniperus chinensis 'Pfitzeriana'
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 600–720 in
Pincushion Flower
Scabiosa caucasica
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 18–24 in
Plains Blackfoot
Melampodium leucanthum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–11
- Height
- 12–24 in
Plumbago
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides
Seldom damaged- Type
- Groundcover
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 6–8 in
Plume Poppy
Macleaya cordata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
Ponderosa Pine
Pinus ponderosa
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 1800–1800 in
Prairie Sagewort
Artemisia frigida
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–10
- Height
- 6–18 in
Primrose
Primula sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range
Privet
Ligustrum sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8, genus range
Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 36–48 in
Pyrenees Cotoneaster
Cotoneaster congestus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–8
Red Chokeberry
Aronia arbutifolia
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 72–144 in
Red Maple
Acer rubrum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–9
- Height
- 480–1440 in
Red Osier Dogwood
Cornus sericea
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–7
- Height
- 60–108 in
Red Twigged Dogwood
Cornus alba
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 96–120 in
Red-Hot Poker
Kniphofia uvaria
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
Redvein Enkianthus
Enkianthus campanulatus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–7
- Height
- 72–192 in
Rhubarb
Rheum rhabarbarum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
Ribbon Grass
Phalaris arundinacea
Seldom damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 24–60 in
Rockspray Cotoneaster
Cotoneaster horizontalis
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–7
- Height
- 24–36 in
Rocky Mountain Penstemon
Penstemon strictus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 36–36 in
Rocky Mountain Zinnia
Zinnia grandiflora
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 6–8 in
Rose of Sharon
Hibiscus syriacus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 96–144 in
Ruby Horsechestnut
Aesculus x carnea
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–7
Rue Anemone
Anemonella thalictroides
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 4–8 in
San Jose Holly
Ilex x aquipernyi
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9