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 3 of 4
Seldom Severely Damaged60
English Holly
Ilex aquifolium
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 7–8
- Height
- 360–600 in
European Beech
Fagus sylvatica
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–7
- Height
- 600–720 in
Firecracker Penstemon
Penstemon eatonii
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Height
- 36–36 in
Foam Flower
Tiarella cordifolia
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 5–12 in
Fothergilla
Fothergilla sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8, genus range
Front Range Beardtongue
Penstemon virens
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Height
- 24–24 in
Gambel Oak
Quercus gambelii
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Height
- 600–600 in
Golden Currant
Ribes aureum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 120–120 in
Goldust Plant
Aucuba japonica
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 7–10
- Height
- 72–120 in
Grape Hyacinth
Muscari sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8, genus range
Heartleaf Bergenia
Bergenia sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range
Holly Osmanthus
Osmanthus heterophyllus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 7–9
- Height
- 96–240 in
Inkberry
Ilex glabra
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–11
- Height
- 60–120 in
Jacob's Ladder
Polemonium caeruleum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
Japanese Anemone
Anemone x hybrida
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
Japanese Kerria
Kerria japonica
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 36–84 in
Japanese Maple
Acer palmatum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 180–300 in
Judd Viburnum
Viburnum x juddii
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
Koreanspice Viburnum
Viburnum carlesii
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–7
- Height
- 48–72 in
Kousa Dogwood
Cornus kousa
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 240–360 in
Lady's Mantle
Alchemilla sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range
Large Periwinkle
Vinca major
Seldom damaged- Type
- Groundcover
- Hardiness
- Zones 7–9
- Height
- 3–8 in
Leadplant
Amorpha canescens
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–9
- Height
- 36–36 in
Leatherleaf Viburnum
Viburnum rhytidophyllum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 120–180 in
Lilyturf
Liriope sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Groundcover
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–10, genus range
Lobelia
Lobelia erinus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 6–9 in
Lyreleaf Greeneyes
Berlandiera lyrata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–10
- Height
- 48–48 in
Mist Flower
Conoclinium coelestinum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–10
- Height
- 18–36 in
Money Plant
Lunaria annua
Seldom damaged- Type
- Biennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 24–36 in
New England Aster
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 36–84 in
Obedient Plant
Physostegia sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9, genus range
Old Man's Whiskers
Geum triflorum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Height
- 6–18 in
Oneseed Juniper
Juniperus monosperma
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 480–480 in
Paperbark Maple
Acer griseum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 240–360 in
Parsley
Petroselinum crispum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Biennial
- Height
- 8–36 in
Patrinia
Patrinia scabiosifolia
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 36–72 in
Periwinkle
Vinca minor
Seldom damaged- Type
- Groundcover
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 3–6 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
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
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
Redvein Enkianthus
Enkianthus campanulatus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–7
- Height
- 72–192 in
Ribbon Grass
Phalaris arundinacea
Seldom damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 24–60 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
Rue Anemone
Anemonella thalictroides
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 4–8 in
San Jose Holly
Ilex x aquipernyi
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9
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
Skunk Cabbage
Symplocarpus foetidus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–7
- Height
- 24–36 in
Snowberry
Symphoricarpos albus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 36–72 in
Sourwood
Oxydendrum arboreum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 240–360 in
Spicebush
Lindera benzoin
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 96–180 in