Deer-resistant plants for shade
Shade and deer together are the hardest problem in gardening. Most of the reliably deer-proof plants (lavender, catmint, Russian sage) are sun-lovers, and the classic shade plants are the ones deer happen to like best. Everything here tolerates four hours of sun or fewer and is rated Rarely or Seldom damaged.
203 plants · page 1 of 4
Rarely Damaged60
Ageratum
Ageratum houstonianum
Rarely damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 6–12 in
Allegheny Spurge
Pachysandra procumbens
Rarely damaged- Type
- Groundcover
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 6–12 in
American Holly
Ilex opaca
Rarely damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 480–720 in
Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–8
- Height
- 60–120 in
Autumn Crocus
Colchicum sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8, genus range
Barberry
Berberis sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8, genus range
Barrenwort
Epimedium sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Groundcover
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8, genus range
Bigleaf Goldenray
Ligularia dentata
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
Bishop's Weed
Aegopodium podagraria
Rarely damaged- Type
- Groundcover
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–10
- Height
- 6–36 in
Bleeding Heart
Lamprocapnos spectabilis
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 24–36 in
Bluebell
Endymion sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8, genus range
Bottlebrush Buckeye
Aesculus parviflora
Rarely damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 96–144 in
Boxwood
Buxus sempervirens
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 60–240 in
Bugleweed
Ajuga reptans
Rarely damaged- Type
- Groundcover
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–10
- Height
- 6–12 in
Buttercup
Ranunculus sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range
Christmas Fern
Polystichum acrostichoides
Rarely damaged- Type
- Fern
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 12–36 in
Cinnamon Fern
Osmunda cinnamomea
Rarely damaged- Type
- Fern
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 24–72 in
Clump Bamboo
Fargesia sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9, genus range
Corydalis
Corydalis sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8, genus range
Daffodil
Narcissus spp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range
- Height
- 8–18 in
Dame's Rocket
Hesperis matronalis
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 12–36 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
European Ginger
Asarum europaeum
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
Flowering Tobacco
Nicotiana sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
Forget-Me-Not
Myosotis sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range
Foxglove
Digitalis purpurea
Rarely damaged- Type
- Biennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 24–60 in
Fragrant Sumac
Rhus aromatica
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 24–72 in
Fringed Bleeding Heart
Dicentra eximia
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
Hard Rush
Juncus effusus
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
Hayscented Fern
Dennstaedtia punctilobula
Rarely damaged- Type
- Fern
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 12–24 in
Heliotrope
Heliotropium arborescens
Rarely damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 12–30 in
Hellebore
Helleborus orientalis
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 12–18 in
Holly Fern
Cyrtomium falcatum
Rarely damaged- Type
- Fern
- Hardiness
- Zones 7–10
- Height
- 17–24 in
Jack-in-the-Pulpit
Arisaema triphyllum
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 12–30 in
Japanese Barberry
Berberis thunbergii
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 36–72 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 Painted Fern
Athyrium niponicum
Rarely damaged- Type
- Fern
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 18–24 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 Sedge
Carex sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9, genus range
Japanese Skimmia
Skimmia japonica
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 7–8
- Height
- 24–84 in
Japanese Sweet Flag
Acorus sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9, genus range
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
Lemon Balm
Melissa officinalis
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 24–36 in
Lily of the Valley
Convallaria majalis
Rarely damaged- Type
- Groundcover
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 6–10 in
Lungwort
Pulmonaria officinalis
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 6–12 in
Lydia Morris Holly
Ilex x 'Lydia Morris'
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9
May Apple
Podophyllum peltatum
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 12–18 in
Meadow Rue
Thalictrum sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range
Mint
Mentha sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9, genus range
Monkshood
Aconitum sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7, genus range
Mountain Pieris
Pieris floribunda
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–6
- Height
- 48–72 in
New York Fern
Thelypteris noveboracensis
Rarely damaged- Type
- Fern
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 12–24 in
Northern Sea Oats
Chasmanthium latifolium
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 24–60 in
Oregon Grape Holly
Mahonia aquifolium
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 36–72 in
Ostrich Fern
Matteuccia struthiopteris
Rarely damaged- Type
- Fern
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 36–60 in