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 3 of 6
Seldom Severely Damaged60

Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 12–24 in

California Poppy
Eschscholzia californica
Seldom damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 12–24 in

Camassia
Camassia leichtlinii
Seldom damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8

Canna Lily
Canna sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 8–11, genus range

Carnation
Dianthus sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9, genus range

Celosia
Celosia argentea
Seldom damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 9–18 in

Chinese Fringe Tree
Chionanthus retusus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 120–360 in

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

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

Chinese Paper Birch
Betula albosinensis
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–7

Cock's Comb
Celosia sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone

Colorado Blue Spruce
Picea pungens
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–7
- Height
- 360–720 in

Common Flowering Quince
Chaenomeles speciosa
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 72–144 in

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

Common Sassafras
Sassafras albidum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 360–720 in

Corkscrew Willow
Salix matsudana 'Tortuosa'
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–8
- Height
- 360–480 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

Crocosmia
Crocosmia sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9, genus range

Crocus
Crocus sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range

Dawn Redwood
Metasequoia glyptostroboides
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 744–1200 in

Delphinium
Delphinium sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7, genus range
Dense Blazing Star
Liatris spicata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 72–72 in
Desert Princesplume
Stanleya pinnata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Height
- 72–72 in

Deutzia
Deutzia sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8, genus range

Dill
Anethum graveolens
Seldom damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 30–60 in
Dotted Blazing Star
Liatris punctata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 36–36 in

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

Douglas Fir
Pseudotsuga menziesii
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–6
- Height
- 480–960 in

Eastern Red Cedar
Juniperus virginiana
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–9
- Height
- 360–480 in

Eastern White Pine
Pinus strobus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 600–960 in

English Hawthorn
Crataegus laevigata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8

European Ash
Fraxinus excelsior
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8

European White Birch
Betula pendula
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–7
- Height
- 360–600 in

Fernleaf Yarrow
Achillea filipendulina
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 36–48 in

Feverfew
Tanacetum parthenium
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 12–36 in

Firethorn
Pyracantha coccinea
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9
- Height
- 72–216 in

Forsythia
Forsythia x intermedia
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8

Gas Plant
Dictamnus albus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 24–36 in

Gaura
Oenothera lindheimeri
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 36–60 in

Gladiolus
Gladiolus sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 7–10, genus range

Glory Lily
Gloriosa superba
Seldom damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 8–12
- Height
- 60–72 in

Glossy Abelia
Abelia sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9, genus range

Goldenrain Tree
Koelreuteria paniculata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 360–480 in

Goldenrod
Solidago sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9, genus range

Green Ash
Fraxinus pennsylvanica
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 600–840 in

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

Hazelnut
Corylus sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8, genus range

Hens and Chickens
Sempervivum sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range

Himalayan Birch
Betula jacquemontii
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–7
- Height
- 360–600 in

Honey Locust
Gleditsia triacanthos
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 720–960 in

Hyacinth
Hyacinthus sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8, genus range

Japanese Cedar
Cryptomeria japonica
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 600–840 in

Japanese Falsecypress
Chamaecyparis pisifera
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 600–840 in

Japanese Flowering Cherry
Prunus serrulata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 180–300 in

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

Japanese Garden Juniper
Juniperus procumbens 'Nana'
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 6–18 in

Japanese Red Pine
Pinus densiflora
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 480–720 in

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