Deer-resistant ornamental grasses
Ornamental grasses are close to a free win. Deer almost universally ignore them, they hold structure through winter when everything else has collapsed, and they need cutting back once a year and nothing else.
34 plants
Rarely Damaged28
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 Oat Grass
Rarely damagedHelictotrichon sempervirens
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 24–36 in
Clump Bamboo
Rarely damagedFargesia sp.
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9, genus range
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
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
Hard Rush
Rarely damagedJuncus effusus
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
Indian Grass
Rarely damagedSorghastrum nutans
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 60–84 in
Japanese Blood Grass
Rarely damagedImperata cylindrica
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 24–48 in
Japanese Forest Grass
Rarely damagedHakonechloa macra
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 12–18 in
Japanese Sedge
Rarely damagedCarex sp.
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9, genus range
Japanese Silver Grass
Rarely damagedMiscanthus sinensis
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 48–144 in
Japanese Sweet Flag
Rarely damagedAcorus sp.
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9, genus range
Large Blue June Grass
Rarely damagedKoeleria glauca
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–8
- Height
- 6–24 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
Northern Sea Oats
Rarely damagedChasmanthium latifolium
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 24–60 in
Oriental Fountain Grass
Rarely damagedPennisetum orientale
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9
- Height
- 24–36 in
Pampas Grass
Rarely damagedCortaderia selloana
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–10
- Height
- 72–144 in
Purple Moor Grass
Rarely damagedMolinia caerulea
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 24–48 in
Ravenna Grass
Rarely damagedErianthus ravennae
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 72–240 in
Switchgrass
Rarely damagedPanicum virgatum
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 36–84 in
Variegated Oat Grass
Rarely damagedArrhenatherum elatius
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
Variegated Purple Moor Grass
Rarely damagedMolinia caerulea 'Variegata'
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 24–48 in
Weeping Love Grass
Rarely damagedEragrostis curvula
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9
- Height
- 24–60 in
Seldom Severely Damaged6
Bamboo
Seldom damagedBambusa sp.
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 8–11, genus range
Bottlebrush Grass
Seldom damagedHystrix patula
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 30–36 in
Drooping Sedge
Seldom damagedCarex pendula
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
Dwarf Mondo Grass
Seldom damagedOphiopogon japonicus
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–10
- Height
- 6–12 in
Ribbon Grass
Seldom damagedPhalaris arundinacea
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 24–60 in
Sedge
Seldom damagedScirpus lacustris
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 48–96 in