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 3 of 5
Seldom Severely Damaged60
Japanese Spirea
Spiraea japonica
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 48–72 in
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
Lance Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 12–36 in
Large Beardtongue
Penstemon grandiflorus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 48–48 in
Large Periwinkle
Vinca major
Seldom damaged- Type
- Groundcover
- Hardiness
- Zones 7–9
- Height
- 3–8 in
Leatherleaf Viburnum
Viburnum rhytidophyllum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 120–180 in
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
Maltese Cross
Lychnis chalcedonica
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 20–40 in
Marigold
Tagetes patula
Seldom damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 6–12 in
Mat Penstemon
Penstemon caespitosus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Height
- 4–6 in
Money Plant
Lunaria annua
Seldom damaged- Type
- Biennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 24–36 in
Mountain Juniper
Juniperus scopulorum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 360–480 in
Nasturtium
Tropaeolum majus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 12–120 in
New England Aster
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 36–84 in
Norway Spruce
Picea abies
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–7
- Height
- 480–720 in
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
Oriental Poppy
Papaver orientale
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 24–36 in
Pale Purple Coneflower
Echinacea pallida
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–10
- Height
- 24–24 in
Palmer's Penstemon
Penstemon palmeri
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Height
- 60–60 in
Paperbark Maple
Acer griseum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 240–360 in
Perennial Candytuft
Iberis sempervirens
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 6–12 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
Ponderosa Pine
Pinus ponderosa
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 1800–1800 in
Purple Sage
Salvia dorrii
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Height
- 36–36 in
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
Rockspray Cotoneaster
Cotoneaster horizontalis
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–7
- Height
- 24–36 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
Rose of Sharon
Hibiscus syriacus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 96–144 in
Rubber Rabbitbrush
Ericameria nauseosa
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Height
- 12–90 in
Rue Anemone
Anemonella thalictroides
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 4–8 in
Scotch Pine
Pinus sylvestris
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–7
- Height
- 360–720 in
Sea Thrift
Armeria maritima
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 6–24 in
Shadbush
Amelanchier canadensis
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 180–300 in
Sidebells Penstemon
Penstemon secundiflorus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Height
- 6–18 in
Silver Buffaloberry
Shepherdia argentea
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 240–240 in
Skunk Cabbage
Symplocarpus foetidus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–7
- Height
- 24–36 in
Smith's Buckthorn
Rhamnus smithii
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 120–120 in
Smokebush
Cotinus coggygria
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 120–180 in
Snow-in-Summer
Cerastium tomentosum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 6–12 in
Spicebush
Lindera benzoin
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 96–180 in
Sticky Purple Geranium
Geranium viscosissimum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 36–36 in
Stretchberry
Forestiera pubescens
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 39–180 in
Striped Maple
Acer pensylvanicum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 180–420 in
Sweet Elder
Sambucus canadensis
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 60–144 in
Sweet Mock Orange
Philadelphus coronarius
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 120–144 in
Sweet William
Dianthus barbatus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Biennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 12–24 in
Tulip Tree
Liriodendron tulipifera
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 960–1440 in
Upright Prairie Coneflower
Ratibida columnifera
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 36–36 in
Virginia Bluebells
Mertensia virginica
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 18–24 in
Virginia Sweetspire
Itea virginica
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 48–96 in
Wax Currant
Ribes cereum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Height
- 72–72 in