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 4 of 6
Seldom Severely Damaged60

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

Lance Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 12–36 in

Lantana
Lantana camara
Seldom damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 12–72 in
Large Beardtongue
Penstemon grandiflorus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 48–48 in

Lupine
Lupinus sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8, genus range

Maltese Cross
Lychnis chalcedonica
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 20–40 in

Marigold
Tagetes patula
Seldom damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 6–12 in
Mat Penstemon
Penstemon caespitosus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Height
- 4–6 in
Mosquito Plant
Agastache cana
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 36–36 in

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

Mugo Pine
Pinus mugo
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–7
- Height
- 240–300 in

Mullein
Verbascum sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8, genus range

Nasturtium
Tropaeolum majus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 12–120 in

Norway Spruce
Picea abies
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–7
- Height
- 480–720 in

Oriental Poppy
Papaver orientale
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 24–36 in
Pale Purple Coneflower
Echinacea pallida
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–10
- Height
- 24–24 in
Palmer's Penstemon
Penstemon palmeri
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Height
- 60–60 in

Perennial Candytuft
Iberis sempervirens
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 6–12 in

Perennial Salvia
Salvia nemorosa
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 18–36 in

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

Pincushion Flower
Scabiosa caucasica
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 18–24 in
Prairie Sagewort
Artemisia frigida
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–10
- Height
- 6–18 in

Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 36–48 in
Purple Sage
Salvia dorrii
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Height
- 36–36 in

Pyrenees Cotoneaster
Cotoneaster congestus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–8

Red-Hot Poker
Kniphofia uvaria
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9

Rhubarb
Rheum rhabarbarum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8

Rockspray Cotoneaster
Cotoneaster horizontalis
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–7
- Height
- 24–36 in

Rose of Sharon
Hibiscus syriacus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 96–144 in
Rubber Rabbitbrush
Ericameria nauseosa
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Height
- 12–90 in

Ruby Horsechestnut
Aesculus x carnea
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–7

Saucer Magnolia
Magnolia x soulangiana
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9

Savin Juniper
Juniperus sabina
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7

Savory
Satureja montana
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–10
- Height
- 6–18 in

Scotch Pine
Pinus sylvestris
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–7
- Height
- 360–720 in

Sea Buckthorn
Hippophae rhamnoides
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8

Sea Thrift
Armeria maritima
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 6–24 in

Sedge
Scirpus lacustris
Seldom damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 48–96 in

Serbian Spruce
Picea omorika
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–7
- Height
- 600–720 in
Showy Goldeneye
Heliomeris multiflora
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Height
- 48–48 in
Sidebells Penstemon
Penstemon secundiflorus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Height
- 6–18 in
Silver Buffaloberry
Shepherdia argentea
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 240–240 in

Singleseed Juniper
Juniperus squamata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
Smith's Buckthorn
Rhamnus smithii
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 120–120 in

Smokebush
Cotinus coggygria
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 120–180 in

Sneezeweed
Helenium autumnale
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 36–60 in

Snow-in-Summer
Cerastium tomentosum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 6–12 in
Soapweed Yucca
Yucca glauca
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 36–54 in

Soapwort
Saponaria sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9, genus range

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

Stocks
Matthiola sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone

Stokes Aster
Stokesia laevis
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 12–24 in

Swamp Milkweed
Asclepias incarnata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 36–60 in

Sweet William
Dianthus barbatus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Biennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 12–24 in
Threadleaf Giant Hyssop
Agastache rupestris
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 36–36 in
Tiger Beardtongue
Penstemon mensarum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 36–36 in

Tulip Tree
Liriodendron tulipifera
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 960–1440 in
Upright Prairie Coneflower
Ratibida columnifera
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 36–36 in

Verbena
Verbena bonariensis
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 7–11
- Height
- 24–60 in

Wallflower
Erysimum sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone