Deer-resistant plants for Vermont
Deer yard up in conifer stands through winter and browse heavily on the way out. Spring emergence is the risky window. Filtered to plants hardy in USDA zones 3 to 5, which covers most of Vermont. Mountain and coastal areas fall outside that range, so check your own zone before ordering.
387 plants · page 2 of 7
Safest choices60
Hard Rush
Rarely damagedJuncus effusus
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
Hayscented Fern
Rarely damagedDennstaedtia punctilobula
- Type
- Fern
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 12–24 in
Heath
Rarely damagedErica sp.
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–7, genus range
Heather
Rarely damagedCalluna sp.
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–6, genus range
Heliotrope
Rarely damagedHeliotropium arborescens
- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
- Height
- 12–30 in
Hellebore
Rarely damagedHelleborus orientalis
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 12–18 in
Horehound
Rarely damagedMarrubium vulgare
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 12–24 in
Horseradish
Rarely damagedArmoracia rusticana
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 24–60 in
Hyssop
Rarely damagedHyssopus officinalis
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 18–24 in
Indian Grass
Rarely damagedSorghastrum nutans
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 60–84 in
Iris
Rarely damagedIris sp.
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9, genus range
Jack-in-the-Pulpit
Rarely damagedArisaema triphyllum
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 12–30 in
Japanese Barberry
Rarely damagedBerberis thunbergii
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 36–72 in
Japanese Black Pine
Rarely damagedPinus thunbergiana
- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 240–720 in
Japanese Blood Grass
Rarely damagedImperata cylindrica
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 24–48 in
Japanese Forest Grass
Rarely damagedHakonechloa macra
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 12–18 in
Japanese Painted Fern
Rarely damagedAthyrium niponicum
- Type
- Fern
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 18–24 in
Japanese Pieris
Rarely damagedPieris japonica
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 96–120 in
Japanese Sedge
Rarely damagedCarex sp.
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9, genus range
Japanese Silver Grass
Rarely damagedMiscanthus sinensis
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 48–144 in
Japanese Sweet Flag
Rarely damagedAcorus sp.
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9, genus range
Katsura Tree
Rarely damagedCercidiphyllum japonicum
- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 480–720 in
Lambs Ear
Rarely damagedStachys byzantina
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 12–18 in
Larkspur
Rarely damagedConsolida ambigua
- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
Lavender
Rarely damagedLavandula angustifolia
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 12–24 in
Lemon Balm
Rarely damagedMelissa officinalis
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 24–36 in
Lily of the Valley
Rarely damagedConvallaria majalis
- Type
- Groundcover
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 6–10 in
Little Bluestem
Rarely damagedSchizachyrium scoparium
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 24–48 in
Lungwort
Rarely damagedPulmonaria officinalis
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 6–12 in
Lyme Grass
Rarely damagedLeymus arenarius
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–10
- Height
- 24–48 in
May Apple
Rarely damagedPodophyllum peltatum
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 12–18 in
Meadow Rue
Rarely damagedThalictrum sp.
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range
Mint
Rarely damagedMentha sp.
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9, genus range
Monkshood
Rarely damagedAconitum sp.
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7, genus range
Moonglow Juniper
Rarely damagedJuniperus scopulorum 'Moonglow'
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 360–480 in
Mountain Pieris
Rarely damagedPieris floribunda
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–6
- Height
- 48–72 in
New York Fern
Rarely damagedThelypteris noveboracensis
- Type
- Fern
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 12–24 in
Northern Sea Oats
Rarely damagedChasmanthium latifolium
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 24–60 in
Oregano
Rarely damagedOriganum sp.
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9, genus range
Oregon Grape Holly
Rarely damagedMahonia aquifolium
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 36–72 in
Ornamental Onion
Rarely damagedAllium giganteum
- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 12–72 in
Ostrich Fern
Rarely damagedMatteuccia struthiopteris
- Type
- Fern
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 36–60 in
Pachysandra
Rarely damagedPachysandra terminalis
- Type
- Groundcover
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 6–12 in
Paper Birch
Rarely damagedBetula papyrifera
- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–7
- Height
- 600–840 in
Pawpaw
Rarely damagedAsimina triloba
- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 180–360 in
Peony
Rarely damagedPaeonia lactiflora
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 24–35 in
Pitch Pine
Rarely damagedPinus rigida
- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–7
- Height
- 480–720 in
Poppy
Rarely damagedPapaver sp.
- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
Pot Marigold
Rarely damagedCalendula sp.
- Type
- Annual
- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual, any zone
Prickly Pear Cactus
Rarely damagedOpuntia humifusa
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 6–12 in
Prince of Wales Juniper
Rarely damagedJuniperus horizontalis 'Prince of Wales'
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 6–18 in
Purple Moor Grass
Rarely damagedMolinia caerulea
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 24–48 in
Purple Rock-Cress
Rarely damagedAubrieta deltoidea
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
Ravenna Grass
Rarely damagedErianthus ravennae
- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 72–240 in
Red Elderberry
Rarely damagedSambucus racemosa
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
Red Pine
Rarely damagedPinus resinosa
- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
River Birch
Rarely damagedBetula nigra
- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 360–840 in
Rock-Cress
Rarely damagedArabis caucasica
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–7
- Height
- 6–12 in
Rocket Ligularia
Rarely damagedLigularia 'The Rocket'
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
Rodgers Flower
Rarely damagedRodgersia sp.
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8, genus range