Deer-resistant plants for part shade
Part shade is the awkward middle, and it is where most real gardens actually sit: a few hours of morning sun, shade from mid-afternoon, or dappled light under high tree canopy. Sun-loving aromatics get leggy here and true woodland plants scorch, so the plants that work are the ones tolerant of both. Hellebore, epimedium, brunnera and most ferns hold up, and several full-sun performers will take it with reduced flowering. If the spot gets less than about three hours, treat it as shade instead.
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Rarely Damaged35
Ageratum
Rarely damagedAgeratum houstonianum
- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 6–12 in
American Holly
Rarely damagedIlex opaca
- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 480–720 in
Arrowwood Viburnum
Rarely damagedViburnum dentatum
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–8
- Height
- 60–120 in
Autumn Crocus
Rarely damagedColchicum sp.
- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8, genus range
Barberry
Rarely damagedBerberis sp.
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8, genus range
Boxwood
Rarely damagedBuxus sempervirens
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 60–240 in
Buttercup
Rarely damagedRanunculus sp.
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range
Clump Bamboo
Rarely damagedFargesia sp.
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9, genus range
Daffodil
Rarely damagedNarcissus spp.
- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range
- Height
- 8–18 in
Dame's Rocket
Rarely damagedHesperis matronalis
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 12–36 in
Daphne
Rarely damagedDaphne sp.
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8, genus range
Devil's Walking Stick
Rarely damagedAralia spinosa
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 120–420 in
Flowering Tobacco
Rarely damagedNicotiana sp.
- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
Forget-Me-Not
Rarely damagedMyosotis sp.
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range
Foxglove
Rarely damagedDigitalis purpurea
- Type
- Biennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 24–60 in
Fragrant Sumac
Rarely damagedRhus aromatica
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 24–72 in
Hard Rush
Rarely damagedJuncus effusus
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
Heliotrope
Rarely damagedHeliotropium arborescens
- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 12–30 in
Japanese Barberry
Rarely damagedBerberis thunbergii
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 36–72 in
Japanese Blood Grass
Rarely damagedImperata cylindrica
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 24–48 in
Japanese Pieris
Rarely damagedPieris japonica
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 96–120 in
Japanese Sweet Flag
Rarely damagedAcorus sp.
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9, genus range
John T. Morris Holly
Rarely damagedIlex x 'John T. Morris'
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9
Lemon Balm
Rarely damagedMelissa officinalis
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 24–36 in
Lydia Morris Holly
Rarely damagedIlex x 'Lydia Morris'
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9
Meadow Rue
Rarely damagedThalictrum sp.
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range
Mint
Rarely damagedMentha sp.
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9, genus range
Pawpaw
Rarely damagedAsimina triloba
- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 180–360 in
Red Elderberry
Rarely damagedSambucus racemosa
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
Siberian Cypress
Rarely damagedMicrobiota decussata
- Type
- Groundcover
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 12–18 in
Siberian Squill
Rarely damagedScilla siberica
- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–8
Snowdrops
Rarely damagedGalanthus nivalis
- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 4–10 in
Variegated Oat Grass
Rarely damagedArrhenatherum elatius
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
Winter Aconite
Rarely damagedEranthis hyemalis
- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 3–6 in
Wood Forget-Me-Not
Rarely damagedMyosotis sylvatica
- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 6–12 in
Seldom Severely Damaged25
Allegheny Serviceberry
Seldom damagedAmelanchier laevis
- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 180–300 in
Alpine Forget-Me-Not
Seldom damagedMyosotis alpestris
- Type
- Biennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
American Bittersweet
Seldom damagedCelastrus scandens
- Type
- Vine
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 240–300 in
Apache Plume
Seldom damagedFallugia paradoxa
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–10
- Height
- 144–144 in
Bastardsage
Seldom damagedEriogonum wrightii
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–10
- Height
- 36–36 in
Beardlip Penstemon
Seldom damagedPenstemon barbatus
- Type
- Perennial
- Height
- 36–36 in
Beautyberry
Seldom damagedCallicarpa sp.
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–10, genus range
Bee Balm
Seldom damagedMonarda didyma
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 24–48 in
Blackhaw Viburnum
Seldom damagedViburnum prunifolium
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 144–180 in
Bog Rosemary
Seldom damagedAndromeda polifolia
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–6
Buckthorn
Seldom damagedRhamnus sp.
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7, genus range
California Sweetshrub
Seldom damagedCalycanthus occidentalis
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9
Calla Lily
Seldom damagedZantedeschia sp.
- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 8–11, genus range
Cardinal Flower
Seldom damagedLobelia cardinalis
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 48–60 in
Carolina Silverbell
Seldom damagedHalesia carolina
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 120–480 in
Cherry Laurel
Seldom damagedPrunus laurocerasus
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–8
- Height
- 120–240 in
Chokecherry
Seldom damagedPrunus virginiana
- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–6
- Height
- 360–360 in
Colorado Four O'clock
Seldom damagedMirabilis multiflora
- Type
- Perennial
- Height
- 36–36 in
Columbine
Seldom damagedAquilegia sp.
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range
Common Hackberry
Seldom damagedCeltis occidentalis
- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 1200–1200 in
Common Sweetshrub
Seldom damagedCalycanthus floridus
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 72–144 in
Common Witchhazel
Seldom damagedHamamelis virginiana
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 180–360 in
Coralberry
Seldom damagedSymphoricarpos x chenaultii
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–7
Cranberry Bush
Seldom damagedViburnum opulus
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–8
- Height
- 144–192 in
Creeping St. John's Wort
Seldom damagedHypericum calycinum
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–10
- Height
- 12–18 in