Deer-resistant plants for Minnesota
Short season and hard winters. Cold-hardiness limits the palette more than deer do. Filtered to plants hardy in USDA zones 3 to 5, which covers most of Minnesota. Mountain and coastal areas fall outside that range, so check your own zone before ordering.
387 plants · page 6 of 7
Usually fine60
Periwinkle
Vinca minor
Seldom damaged- Type
- Groundcover
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 3–6 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
Plains Blackfoot
Melampodium leucanthum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–11
- Height
- 12–24 in
Plumbago
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides
Seldom damaged- Type
- Groundcover
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 6–8 in
Plume Poppy
Macleaya cordata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
Ponderosa Pine
Pinus ponderosa
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 1800–1800 in
Prairie Sagewort
Artemisia frigida
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–10
- Height
- 6–18 in
Primrose
Primula sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range
Privet
Ligustrum sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8, genus range
Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 36–48 in
Red Chokeberry
Aronia arbutifolia
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 72–144 in
Red Maple
Acer rubrum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–9
- Height
- 480–1440 in
Red Osier Dogwood
Cornus sericea
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–7
- Height
- 60–108 in
Red Twigged Dogwood
Cornus alba
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 96–120 in
Red-Hot Poker
Kniphofia uvaria
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
Redvein Enkianthus
Enkianthus campanulatus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–7
- Height
- 72–192 in
Rhubarb
Rheum rhabarbarum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
Ribbon Grass
Phalaris arundinacea
Seldom damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 24–60 in
Rockspray Cotoneaster
Cotoneaster horizontalis
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–7
- Height
- 24–36 in
Rocky Mountain Penstemon
Penstemon strictus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 36–36 in
Rocky Mountain Zinnia
Zinnia grandiflora
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 6–8 in
Rose of Sharon
Hibiscus syriacus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 96–144 in
Ruby Horsechestnut
Aesculus x carnea
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–7
Rue Anemone
Anemonella thalictroides
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 4–8 in
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
Shadbush
Amelanchier canadensis
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 180–300 in
Shiso
Perilla frutescens
Seldom damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 12–36 in
Shrubby St. John's Wort
Hypericum prolificum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 12–60 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
Skunk Cabbage
Symplocarpus foetidus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–7
- Height
- 24–36 in
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
Snowberry
Symphoricarpos albus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 36–72 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
Sourwood
Oxydendrum arboreum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 240–360 in
Speedwell
Veronica sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range
Spicebush
Lindera benzoin
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 96–180 in
Spiderwort
Tradescantia sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9, genus range
Sticky Purple Geranium
Geranium viscosissimum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 36–36 in
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
Stretchberry
Forestiera pubescens
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 39–180 in
Striped Maple
Acer pensylvanicum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 180–420 in
Sulphur-Flower Buckwheat
Eriogonum umbellatum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 72–72 in
Swamp Milkweed
Asclepias incarnata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 36–60 in
Sweet Elder
Sambucus canadensis
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 60–144 in
Sweet Mock Orange
Philadelphus coronarius
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 120–144 in
Sweet Pepperbush
Clethra sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9, genus range