Deer-resistant plants that bloom in spring
Spring is the hardest season to get right in deer country, and not because of the flowers. It is the hungry gap: winter browse is gone, new growth is the only soft green thing available, and deer will eat things in April that they would walk past in July. Bulbs are the reliable answer, and daffodils in particular, because lycorine makes them genuinely toxic rather than merely unpalatable.
241 plants · page 2 of 5
Seldom Severely Damaged60
American Bittersweet
Celastrus scandens
Seldom damaged- Type
- Vine
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 240–300 in
American Plum
Prunus americana
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 420–420 in
Annual Candytuft
Iberis umbellata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 12–18 in
Annual Salvia
Salvia splendens
Seldom damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 12–36 in
Antelope Bitterbrush
Purshia tridentata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Height
- 144–144 in
Apache Plume
Fallugia paradoxa
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–10
- Height
- 144–144 in
Austrian Pine
Pinus nigra
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–7
- Height
- 480–720 in
Autumn Olive
Elaeagnus umbellata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 120–192 in
Autumn Sage
Salvia greggii
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9
- Height
- 24–36 in
Banana Yucca
Yucca baccata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
Bearberry Cotoneaster
Cotoneaster dammeri
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 12–12 in
Beautybush
Kolkwitzia amabilis
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 72–120 in
Blackhaw Viburnum
Viburnum prunifolium
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 144–180 in
Blue Sage
Salvia pachyphylla
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–10
- Height
- 18–32 in
Bridalwreath Spirea
Spiraea prunifolia
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 48–96 in
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 12–24 in
California Poppy
Eschscholzia californica
Seldom damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 12–24 in
Carolina Silverbell
Halesia carolina
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 120–480 in
Cherry Laurel
Prunus laurocerasus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–8
- Height
- 120–240 in
Chinese Fringe Tree
Chionanthus retusus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 120–360 in
Chinese Holly
Ilex cornuta
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 7–9
- Height
- 96–180 in
Chokecherry
Prunus virginiana
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–6
- Height
- 360–360 in
Colorado Four O'clock
Mirabilis multiflora
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Height
- 36–36 in
Common Flowering Quince
Chaenomeles speciosa
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 72–144 in
Common Hackberry
Celtis occidentalis
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 1200–1200 in
Common Lilac
Syringa vulgaris
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 96–192 in
Common Sassafras
Sassafras albidum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 360–720 in
Common Sweetshrub
Calycanthus floridus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 72–144 in
Coral Bells
Heuchera americana
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 12–36 in
Corkscrew Willow
Salix matsudana 'Tortuosa'
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–8
- Height
- 360–480 in
Cranberry Bush
Viburnum opulus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–8
- Height
- 144–192 in
Cranberry Cotoneaster
Cotoneaster apiculatus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–7
- Height
- 24–36 in
Creeping Juniper
Juniperus horizontalis
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 6–18 in
Curl-Leaf Mountain Mahogany
Cercocarpus ledifolius
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Height
- 360–360 in
Delicious Raspberry
Rubus deliciosus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Height
- 72–72 in
Desert Princesplume
Stanleya pinnata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Height
- 72–72 in
Doublefile Viburnum
Viburnum plicatum tomentosum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 96–180 in
Douglas Fir
Pseudotsuga menziesii
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–6
- Height
- 480–960 in
Downy Serviceberry
Amelanchier arborea
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 180–300 in
Eastern White Pine
Pinus strobus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 600–960 in
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
European White Birch
Betula pendula
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–7
- Height
- 360–600 in
Fernleaf Yarrow
Achillea filipendulina
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 36–48 in
Firecracker Penstemon
Penstemon eatonii
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Height
- 36–36 in
Firethorn
Pyracantha coccinea
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 6–9
- Height
- 72–216 in
Foam Flower
Tiarella cordifolia
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 5–12 in
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
Gas Plant
Dictamnus albus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 24–36 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
Green Ash
Fraxinus pennsylvanica
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 600–840 in
Himalayan Birch
Betula jacquemontii
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–7
- Height
- 360–600 in
Honey Locust
Gleditsia triacanthos
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 720–960 in
Inkberry
Ilex glabra
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–11
- Height
- 60–120 in
Japanese Flowering Cherry
Prunus serrulata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 180–300 in
Japanese Flowering Quince
Chaenomeles japonica
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 24–36 in
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