Plants deer rarely damage
This is the tier to plant from if you are starting over after a bad year. Rutgers rates these as rarely damaged, which in practice means deer walk past them even when the pressure is high. Most earn it through scent, fuzzy or leathery leaves, or sap that tastes wrong. None of it is a guarantee: a deer that is hungry enough will test anything once, and a newly planted specimen is always more attractive than an established one.
169 plants · page 2 of 3
Shrub24
Broom
Cytisus sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8, genus range
Bush Cinquefoil
Potentilla fruticosa
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–7
- Height
- 24–48 in
Butterfly Bush
Buddleja davidii
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 72–144 in
Daphne
Daphne sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8, genus range
Devil's Walking Stick
Aralia spinosa
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 120–420 in
Drooping Leucothoe
Leucothoe fontanesiana
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–6
- Height
- 24–72 in
Fragrant Sumac
Rhus aromatica
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 24–72 in
Heath
Erica sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–7, genus range
Heather
Calluna sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–6, genus range
Japanese Barberry
Berberis thunbergii
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 36–72 in
Japanese Pieris
Pieris japonica
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 96–120 in
Japanese Plum Yew
Cephalotaxus harringtonia
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9
- Height
- 60–120 in
Japanese Skimmia
Skimmia japonica
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 7–8
- Height
- 24–84 in
John T. Morris Holly
Ilex x 'John T. Morris'
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9
Leatherleaf Mahonia
Mahonia bealei
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 7–9
- Height
- 48–120 in
Lydia Morris Holly
Ilex x 'Lydia Morris'
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9
Moonglow Juniper
Juniperus scopulorum 'Moonglow'
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 360–480 in
Mountain Pieris
Pieris floribunda
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–6
- Height
- 48–72 in
Oregon Grape Holly
Mahonia aquifolium
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 36–72 in
Prince of Wales Juniper
Juniperus horizontalis 'Prince of Wales'
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 6–18 in
Red Elderberry
Sambucus racemosa
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
Rosemary
Salvia rosmarinus
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 8–10
- Height
- 48–60 in
Russian Olive
Elaeagnus angustifolia
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–7
- Height
- 144–360 in
Sweet Box
Sarcococca hookeriana
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 48–60 in
Tree11
American Holly
Ilex opaca
Rarely damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 480–720 in
Bottlebrush Buckeye
Aesculus parviflora
Rarely damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 96–144 in
Dwarf Alberta Spruce
Picea glauca 'Conica'
Rarely damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–6
- Height
- 480–720 in
Japanese Black Pine
Pinus thunbergiana
Rarely damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 240–720 in
Katsura Tree
Cercidiphyllum japonicum
Rarely damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 480–720 in
Mimosa
Albizia julibrissin
Rarely damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9
- Height
- 240–480 in
Paper Birch
Betula papyrifera
Rarely damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–7
- Height
- 600–840 in
Pawpaw
Asimina triloba
Rarely damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 180–360 in
Pitch Pine
Pinus rigida
Rarely damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–7
- Height
- 480–720 in
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
Bulb8
Autumn Crocus
Colchicum sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8, genus range
Bluebell
Endymion sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8, genus range
Crown Imperial
Fritillaria imperialis
Rarely damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 36–48 in
Daffodil
Narcissus spp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range
- Height
- 8–18 in
Ornamental Onion
Allium giganteum
Rarely damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 12–72 in
Siberian Squill
Scilla siberica
Rarely damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–8
Snowdrops
Galanthus nivalis
Rarely damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 4–10 in
Winter Aconite
Eranthis hyemalis
Rarely damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 3–6 in
Ornamental grass17
Big Bluestem
Andropogon sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9, genus range
Blue Fescue
Festuca glauca
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 9–12 in
Blue Oat Grass
Helictotrichon sempervirens
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 24–36 in
Clump Bamboo
Fargesia sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9, genus range
Feather Reed Grass
Calamagrostis sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9, genus range
Fountain Grass
Pennisetum alopecuroides
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9
- Height
- 24–72 in
Giant Japanese Silver Grass
Miscanthus floridulus
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 96–144 in
Giant Reed
Arundo donax
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–10
Golden Bamboo
Phyllostachys aurea
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–10
- Height
- 180–240 in
Hard Rush
Juncus effusus
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
Indian Grass
Sorghastrum nutans
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 60–84 in
Japanese Blood Grass
Imperata cylindrica
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 24–48 in
Japanese Forest Grass
Hakonechloa macra
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 12–18 in
Japanese Sedge
Carex sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9, genus range
Japanese Silver Grass
Miscanthus sinensis
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 48–144 in
Japanese Sweet Flag
Acorus sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9, genus range
Large Blue June Grass
Koeleria glauca
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–8
- Height
- 6–24 in