Deer-resistant plants for full sun
Full sun is where the deer-resistant palette is strongest, and it is not a coincidence. The plants that shrug off browsing are disproportionately aromatic Mediterranean subshrubs, and those evolved in hot dry open ground: lavender, rosemary, catmint, Russian sage, thyme, santolina. Their defence is the volatile oil that also needs sun to develop properly, so a lavender grown in part shade is both floppier and, in a small way, less unpalatable. The other reliable group here is the ornamental grasses, which deer ignore almost universally.
324 plants · page 1 of 6
Rarely Damaged60
Angel's Trumpet
Brugmansia sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
Anise
Pimpinella anisum
Rarely damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
Anise Hyssop
Agastache sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9, genus range
Annual Vinca
Catharanthus roseus
Rarely damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 6–18 in
Basket of Gold
Aurinia saxatilis
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
Bayberry
Myrica pensylvanica
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 72–96 in
Bearberry
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Rarely damaged- Type
- Groundcover
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 6–12 in
Bearded Iris
Iris germanica
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 12–48 in
Big Bluestem
Andropogon sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9, genus range
Blue Fescue
Festuca glauca
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 9–12 in
Blue Mist Shrub
Caryopteris clandonensis
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9
Blue Oat Grass
Helictotrichon sempervirens
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 24–36 in
Broom
Cytisus sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8, genus range
Bush Cinquefoil
Potentilla fruticosa
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–7
- Height
- 24–48 in
Butter and Eggs
Linaria vulgaris
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
Butterfly Bush
Buddleja davidii
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 72–144 in
Catmint
Nepeta x faassenii
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 12–24 in
Cinquefoil
Potentilla sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range
Common Tansy
Tanacetum vulgare
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 12–60 in
Crown Imperial
Fritillaria imperialis
Rarely damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 36–48 in
Dusty Miller
Centaurea cineraria
Rarely damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 6–24 in
Dwarf Alberta Spruce
Picea glauca 'Conica'
Rarely damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–6
- Height
- 480–720 in
False Camomile
Matricaria sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
False Indigo
Baptisia australis
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 36–48 in
Feather Reed Grass
Calamagrostis sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9, genus range
Fountain Grass
Pennisetum alopecuroides
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9
- Height
- 24–72 in
Garden Sage
Salvia officinalis
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 12–24 in
Germander
Teucrium chamaedrys
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 6–18 in
Giant Japanese Silver Grass
Miscanthus floridulus
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 96–144 in
Giant Reed
Arundo donax
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–10
Golden Bamboo
Phyllostachys aurea
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–10
- Height
- 180–240 in
Greek Jerusalem Sage
Phlomis sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9, genus range
Heath
Erica sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–7, genus range
Heather
Calluna sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–6, genus range
Horehound
Marrubium vulgare
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 12–24 in
Horseradish
Armoracia rusticana
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 24–60 in
Hyssop
Hyssopus officinalis
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 18–24 in
Indian Grass
Sorghastrum nutans
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 60–84 in
Iris
Iris sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9, genus range
Japanese Black Pine
Pinus thunbergiana
Rarely damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 240–720 in
Japanese Silver Grass
Miscanthus sinensis
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 48–144 in
Katsura Tree
Cercidiphyllum japonicum
Rarely damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 480–720 in
Lambs Ear
Stachys byzantina
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 12–18 in
Large Blue June Grass
Koeleria glauca
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–8
- Height
- 6–24 in
Larkspur
Consolida ambigua
Rarely damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
Lavender
Lavandula angustifolia
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 12–24 in
Lavender-Cotton
Santolina chamaecyparissus
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9
- Height
- 12–24 in
Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 24–48 in
Lyme Grass
Leymus arenarius
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–10
- Height
- 24–48 in
Marjoram
Origanum majorana
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 9–10
- Height
- 12–24 in
Mimosa
Albizia julibrissin
Rarely damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9
- Height
- 240–480 in
Moonglow Juniper
Juniperus scopulorum 'Moonglow'
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 360–480 in
Oregano
Origanum sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9, genus range
Oriental Fountain Grass
Pennisetum orientale
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9
- Height
- 24–36 in
Ornamental Onion
Allium giganteum
Rarely damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 12–72 in
Pampas Grass
Cortaderia selloana
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–10
- Height
- 72–144 in
Paper Birch
Betula papyrifera
Rarely damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–7
- Height
- 600–840 in
Peony
Paeonia lactiflora
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 24–35 in
Pitch Pine
Pinus rigida
Rarely damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–7
- Height
- 480–720 in
Poppy
Papaver sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone