Deer-resistant flowering shrubs
Flower is where the deer-resistant shrub palette is thinnest, because the obvious flowering shrubs are the worst offenders: rhododendron, azalea and lilac are all browsed heavily, and hydrangea is not far behind. What is left leans on aromatic foliage rather than on the flower being unattractive, so the reliable performers here smell of something when you brush past them. Check bloom season as well as rating, since a shrub that flowers in April is exposed at the hungriest point of the year.
103 plants · page 1 of 2
Rarely Damaged19

Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–8
- Height
- 60–120 in

Bayberry
Myrica pensylvanica
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 72–96 in

Boxwood
Buxus sempervirens
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 60–240 in

Bush Cinquefoil
Potentilla fruticosa
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–7
- Height
- 24–48 in

Butterfly Bush
Buddleja davidii
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 72–144 in

Devil's Walking Stick
Aralia spinosa
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 120–420 in

Drooping Leucothoe
Leucothoe fontanesiana
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–6
- Height
- 24–72 in

Fragrant Sumac
Rhus aromatica
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 24–72 in

Japanese Barberry
Berberis thunbergii
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 36–72 in

Japanese Pieris
Pieris japonica
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 96–120 in

Japanese Skimmia
Skimmia japonica
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 7–8
- Height
- 24–84 in

Leatherleaf Mahonia
Mahonia bealei
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 7–9
- Height
- 48–120 in

Moonglow Juniper
Juniperus scopulorum 'Moonglow'
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 360–480 in

Mountain Pieris
Pieris floribunda
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–6
- Height
- 48–72 in

Oregon Grape Holly
Mahonia aquifolium
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 36–72 in

Prince of Wales Juniper
Juniperus horizontalis 'Prince of Wales'
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 6–18 in

Rosemary
Salvia rosmarinus
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 8–10
- Height
- 48–60 in

Russian Olive
Elaeagnus angustifolia
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–7
- Height
- 144–360 in

Sweet Box
Sarcococca hookeriana
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 48–60 in
Seldom Severely Damaged41
Antelope Bitterbrush
Purshia tridentata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Height
- 144–144 in
Apache Plume
Fallugia paradoxa
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–10
- Height
- 144–144 in

Autumn Olive
Elaeagnus umbellata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 120–192 in
Autumn Sage
Salvia greggii
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9
- Height
- 24–36 in
Banana Yucca
Yucca baccata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub

Bearberry Cotoneaster
Cotoneaster dammeri
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 12–12 in

Beautybush
Kolkwitzia amabilis
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 72–120 in
Big Sagebrush
Artemisia tridentata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Height
- 108–108 in

Blackhaw Viburnum
Viburnum prunifolium
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 144–180 in
Blue Sage
Salvia pachyphylla
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–10
- Height
- 18–32 in

Bog Rosemary
Andromeda polifolia
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–6

Bridalwreath Spirea
Spiraea prunifolia
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 48–96 in

Carolina Silverbell
Halesia carolina
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 120–480 in

Cherry Laurel
Prunus laurocerasus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–8
- Height
- 120–240 in

Chinese Holly
Ilex cornuta
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 7–9
- Height
- 96–180 in

Common Lilac
Syringa vulgaris
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 96–192 in

Common Sweetshrub
Calycanthus floridus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 72–144 in

Common Witchhazel
Hamamelis virginiana
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 180–360 in

Cranberry Bush
Viburnum opulus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–8
- Height
- 144–192 in

Cranberry Cotoneaster
Cotoneaster apiculatus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–7
- Height
- 24–36 in

Crape Myrtle
Lagerstroemia indica
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9
- Height
- 72–360 in

Creeping Juniper
Juniperus horizontalis
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 6–18 in
Curl-Leaf Mountain Mahogany
Cercocarpus ledifolius
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Height
- 360–360 in
Delicious Raspberry
Rubus deliciosus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Height
- 72–72 in

Doublefile Viburnum
Viburnum plicatum tomentosum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 96–180 in

English Holly
Ilex aquifolium
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 7–8
- Height
- 360–600 in

Firethorn
Pyracantha coccinea
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9
- Height
- 72–216 in
Golden Currant
Ribes aureum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 120–120 in

Goldust Plant
Aucuba japonica
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 7–10
- Height
- 72–120 in

Harlequin Glorybower
Clerodendrum trichotomum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 7–10
- Height
- 120–240 in

Holly Osmanthus
Osmanthus heterophyllus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 7–9
- Height
- 96–240 in

Inkberry
Ilex glabra
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–11
- Height
- 60–120 in

Japanese Flowering Quince
Chaenomeles japonica
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 24–36 in

Japanese Kerria
Kerria japonica
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 36–84 in

Japanese Spirea
Spiraea japonica
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 48–72 in

Japanese Tree Lilac
Syringa reticulata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 300–360 in

Koreanspice Viburnum
Viburnum carlesii
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–7
- Height
- 48–72 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

Mountain Juniper
Juniperus scopulorum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 360–480 in
Oneseed Juniper
Juniperus monosperma
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 480–480 in