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 defense 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.
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Rarely Damaged60
Angel's Trumpet
Rarely damagedBrugmansia sp.
- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
Anise
Rarely damagedPimpinella anisum
- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
Anise Hyssop
Rarely damagedAgastache sp.
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9, genus range
Annual Vinca
Rarely damagedCatharanthus roseus
- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 6–18 in
Basket of Gold
Rarely damagedAurinia saxatilis
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
Bayberry
Rarely damagedMyrica pensylvanica
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 72–96 in
Bearberry
Rarely damagedArctostaphylos uva-ursi
- Type
- Groundcover
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 6–12 in
Bearded Iris
Rarely damagedIris germanica
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 12–48 in
Big Bluestem
Rarely damagedAndropogon sp.
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9, genus range
Blue Fescue
Rarely damagedFestuca glauca
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 9–12 in
Blue Mist Shrub
Rarely damagedCaryopteris clandonensis
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9
Blue Oat Grass
Rarely damagedHelictotrichon sempervirens
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 24–36 in
Broom
Rarely damagedCytisus sp.
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8, genus range
Bush Cinquefoil
Rarely damagedPotentilla fruticosa
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–7
- Height
- 24–48 in
Butter and Eggs
Rarely damagedLinaria vulgaris
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
Butterfly Bush
Rarely damagedBuddleja davidii
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 72–144 in
Catmint
Rarely damagedNepeta x faassenii
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 12–24 in
Chives
Rarely damagedAllium schoenoprasum
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 12–18 in
Cinquefoil
Rarely damagedPotentilla sp.
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range
Common Tansy
Rarely damagedTanacetum vulgare
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 12–60 in
Crown Imperial
Rarely damagedFritillaria imperialis
- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 36–48 in
Dusty Miller
Rarely damagedCentaurea cineraria
- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 6–24 in
Dwarf Alberta Spruce
Rarely damagedPicea glauca 'Conica'
- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–6
- Height
- 480–720 in
False Camomile
Rarely damagedMatricaria sp.
- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
False Indigo
Rarely damagedBaptisia australis
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 36–48 in
Feather Reed Grass
Rarely damagedCalamagrostis sp.
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9, genus range
Fountain Grass
Rarely damagedPennisetum alopecuroides
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9
- Height
- 24–72 in
Garden Sage
Rarely damagedSalvia officinalis
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 12–24 in
Germander
Rarely damagedTeucrium chamaedrys
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 6–18 in
Giant Japanese Silver Grass
Rarely damagedMiscanthus floridulus
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 96–144 in
Giant Reed
Rarely damagedArundo donax
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–10
Golden Bamboo
Rarely damagedPhyllostachys aurea
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–10
- Height
- 180–240 in
Greek Jerusalem Sage
Rarely damagedPhlomis sp.
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9, genus range
Heath
Rarely damagedErica sp.
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–7, genus range
Heather
Rarely damagedCalluna sp.
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–6, genus range
Horehound
Rarely damagedMarrubium vulgare
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 12–24 in
Horseradish
Rarely damagedArmoracia rusticana
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 24–60 in
Hyssop
Rarely damagedHyssopus officinalis
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 18–24 in
Indian Grass
Rarely damagedSorghastrum nutans
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 60–84 in
Iris
Rarely damagedIris sp.
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9, genus range
Japanese Black Pine
Rarely damagedPinus thunbergiana
- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 240–720 in
Japanese Silver Grass
Rarely damagedMiscanthus sinensis
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 48–144 in
Katsura Tree
Rarely damagedCercidiphyllum japonicum
- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 480–720 in
Lambs Ear
Rarely damagedStachys byzantina
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 12–18 in
Large Blue June Grass
Rarely damagedKoeleria glauca
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–8
- Height
- 6–24 in
Larkspur
Rarely damagedConsolida ambigua
- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
Lavender
Rarely damagedLavandula angustifolia
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 12–24 in
Lavender-Cotton
Rarely damagedSantolina chamaecyparissus
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9
- Height
- 12–24 in
Little Bluestem
Rarely damagedSchizachyrium scoparium
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 24–48 in
Lyme Grass
Rarely damagedLeymus arenarius
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–10
- Height
- 24–48 in
Marjoram
Rarely damagedOriganum majorana
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 9–10
- Height
- 12–24 in
Mimosa
Rarely damagedAlbizia julibrissin
- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9
- Height
- 240–480 in
Moonglow Juniper
Rarely damagedJuniperus scopulorum 'Moonglow'
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 360–480 in
Oregano
Rarely damagedOriganum sp.
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9, genus range
Oriental Fountain Grass
Rarely damagedPennisetum orientale
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9
- Height
- 24–36 in
Ornamental Onion
Rarely damagedAllium giganteum
- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 12–72 in
Pampas Grass
Rarely damagedCortaderia selloana
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–10
- Height
- 72–144 in
Paper Birch
Rarely damagedBetula papyrifera
- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–7
- Height
- 600–840 in
Peony
Rarely damagedPaeonia lactiflora
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 24–35 in
Pitch Pine
Rarely damagedPinus rigida
- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–7
- Height
- 480–720 in