Deer-resistant plants for Massachusetts

Heavy suburban browsing, particularly east of Worcester. Filtered to plants hardy in USDA zones 5 to 7, which covers most of Massachusetts. Mountain and coastal areas fall outside that range, so check your own zone before ordering.

425 plants · page 3 of 8

Safest choices47

Poppy
Papaver sp.
Rarely damaged
Type
Annual
Hardiness
Grown as an annual, any zone
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 Elderberry
Sambucus racemosa
Rarely damaged
Type
Shrub
Hardiness
Zones 3–7
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
Rocket Ligularia
Ligularia 'The Rocket'
Rarely damaged
Type
Perennial
Hardiness
Zones 4–8
Rodgers Flower
Rodgersia sp.
Rarely damaged
Type
Perennial
Hardiness
Zones 5–8, genus range
Rose Campion
Lychnis coronaria
Rarely damaged
Type
Perennial
Hardiness
Zones 4–10
Height
24–36 in
Royal Fern
Osmunda regalis
Rarely damaged
Type
Fern
Hardiness
Zones 3–10
Height
60–72 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
Sensitive Fern
Onoclea sensibilis
Rarely damaged
Type
Fern
Hardiness
Zones 2–10
Height
12–24 in
Siberian Bugloss
Brunnera macrophylla
Rarely damaged
Type
Perennial
Hardiness
Zones 3–8
Height
12–18 in
Siberian Cypress
Microbiota decussata
Rarely damaged
Type
Groundcover
Hardiness
Zones 3–7
Height
12–18 in
Siberian Squill
Scilla siberica
Rarely damaged
Type
Bulb
Hardiness
Zones 2–8
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
Snowdrops
Galanthus nivalis
Rarely damaged
Type
Bulb
Hardiness
Zones 3–9
Height
4–10 in
Spider Flower
Cleome sp.
Rarely damaged
Type
Annual
Hardiness
Grown as an annual, any zone
Spotted Deadnettle
Lamium sp.
Rarely damaged
Type
Groundcover
Hardiness
Zones 3–8, genus range
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
Sweet Box
Sarcococca hookeriana
Rarely damaged
Type
Shrub
Hardiness
Zones 5–8
Height
48–60 in
Sweet Woodruff
Galium odoratum
Rarely damaged
Type
Groundcover
Hardiness
Zones 4–8
Height
6–12 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 Oat Grass
Arrhenatherum elatius
Rarely damaged
Type
Ornamental grass
Hardiness
Zones 4–9
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
Wild Ginger
Asarum canadense
Rarely damaged
Type
Perennial
Hardiness
Zones 4–6
Height
6–12 in
Winter Aconite
Eranthis hyemalis
Rarely damaged
Type
Bulb
Hardiness
Zones 3–7
Height
3–6 in
Wood Fern
Dryopteris marginalis
Rarely damaged
Type
Fern
Hardiness
Zones 4–9
Height
18–36 in
Wood Forget-Me-Not
Myosotis sylvatica
Rarely damaged
Type
Annual
Hardiness
Grown as an annual, any zone
Height
6–12 in
Yucca
Yucca filamentosa
Rarely damaged
Type
Perennial
Hardiness
Zones 4–10
Height
36–96 in

Usually fine13