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 2 of 6
Rarely Damaged30

Pot Marigold
Calendula sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone

Prickly Pear Cactus
Opuntia humifusa
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 6–12 in

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

Purple Moor Grass
Molinia caerulea
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 24–48 in

Purple Rock-Cress
Aubrieta deltoidea
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8

Ravenna Grass
Erianthus ravennae
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 72–240 in

Red Pine
Pinus resinosa
Rarely damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7

River Birch
Betula nigra
Rarely damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 360–840 in

Rock-Cress
Arabis caucasica
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–7
- Height
- 6–12 in

Rose Campion
Lychnis coronaria
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–10
- Height
- 24–36 in

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

Rue
Ruta sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9, genus range

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

Russian Sage
Salvia yangii
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 24–48 in

Silver Mound
Artemisia sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range

Small Globe Thistle
Echinops ritro
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 36–48 in

Snapdragon
Antirrhinum majus
Rarely damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 6–36 in

Snow-on-the-Mountain
Euphorbia marginata
Rarely damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 12–36 in

Spider Flower
Cleome sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone

Spurge
Euphorbia sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9, genus range

Statice
Limonium latifolium
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–10
- Height
- 12–18 in

Strawflower
Helichrysum sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone

Sweet Alyssum
Lobularia maritima
Rarely damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 3–10 in

Switchgrass
Panicum virgatum
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 36–84 in

Tarragon
Artemisia dracunculus
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 12–36 in

Threadleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis verticillata
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 30–36 in

Thyme
Thymus sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9, genus range

Variegated Purple Moor Grass
Molinia caerulea 'Variegata'
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 24–48 in

Weeping Love Grass
Eragrostis curvula
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9
- Height
- 24–60 in

Yucca
Yucca filamentosa
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–10
- Height
- 36–96 in
Seldom Severely Damaged30

African Lily
Agapanthus sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 8–11, genus range

Annual Candytuft
Iberis umbellata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 12–18 in

Annual Salvia
Salvia splendens
Seldom damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 12–36 in

Annual Verbena
Verbena x hybrida
Seldom damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
Antelope Bitterbrush
Purshia tridentata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Height
- 144–144 in

Anthony Waterer Spirea
Spiraea x bumalda
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8

Armstrong Juniper
Juniperus chinensis 'Armstrongii'
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 600–720 in

Asparagus
Asparagus officinalis
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–9
- Height
- 36–60 in

Aster
Aster sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range

Austrian Pine
Pinus nigra
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–7
- Height
- 480–720 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

Baby's Breath
Gypsophila sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9, genus range

Bachelor's Buttons
Centaurea cyanus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 12–36 in

Bamboo
Bambusa sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 8–11, genus range
Banana Yucca
Yucca baccata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub

Basil
Ocimum basilicum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 4–36 in

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

Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9, genus range
Blackeyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 36–36 in
Blanketflower
Gaillardia aristata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 48–48 in

Blazing Star
Liatris sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9, genus range
Blue Sage
Salvia pachyphylla
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–10
- Height
- 18–32 in

Blue Star Juniper
Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star'
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8

Borage
Borago officinalis
Seldom damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 19–38 in

Brambles
Rubus sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9, genus range

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

Bugloss
Anchusa sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range