Deer-resistant plants for zone 5
Zone 5 means average annual minimum temperatures of minus 20 to minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit. A broad band across the Midwest and the interior northeast, and the zone the most deer-resistance advice is implicitly written for. Almost everything on this site works here, and where deer pressure is heavy this is also some of the densest whitetail country in the United States.
506 plants · page 3 of 9
States mostly in zone 5
Perennial52

Rock-Cress
Arabis caucasica
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–7
- Height
- 6–12 in

Rocket Ligularia
Ligularia 'The Rocket'
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
Rocky Mountain Penstemon
Penstemon strictus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 36–36 in

Rodgers Flower
Rodgersia sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8, genus range

Rose Campion
Lychnis coronaria
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–10
- Height
- 24–36 in

Rose Mallow
Hibiscus moscheutos
Occasionally damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 24–72 in

Rue
Ruta sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9, genus range

Rue Anemone
Anemonella thalictroides
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 4–8 in

Russian Sage
Salvia yangii
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 24–48 in

Savory
Satureja montana
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–10
- Height
- 6–18 in

Sea Holly
Eryngium sp.
Frequently damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9, genus range

Sea Thrift
Armeria maritima
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 6–24 in

Shasta Daisy
Leucanthemum x superbum
Occasionally damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9

Siberian Bugloss
Brunnera macrophylla
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 12–18 in

Silver Mound
Artemisia sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range

Skunk Cabbage
Symplocarpus foetidus
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–7
- Height
- 24–36 in

Small Globe Thistle
Echinops ritro
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 36–48 in

Sneezeweed
Helenium autumnale
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 36–60 in

Snow-in-Summer
Cerastium tomentosum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 6–12 in
Soapweed Yucca
Yucca glauca
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 36–54 in

Soapwort
Saponaria sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9, genus range

Solomon's Seal
Polygonatum sp.
Occasionally damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range

Speedwell
Veronica sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range

Spiderwort
Tradescantia sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9, genus range

Spurge
Euphorbia sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9, genus range

Statice
Limonium latifolium
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–10
- Height
- 12–18 in
Sticky Purple Geranium
Geranium viscosissimum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 36–36 in

Stokes Aster
Stokesia laevis
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 12–24 in

Stonecrop
Hylotelephium spectabile
Occasionally damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 12–24 in

Strawberry
Fragaria sp.
Frequently damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9, genus range
Sulphur-Flower Buckwheat
Eriogonum umbellatum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 72–72 in

Sundrops
Oenothera sp.
Occasionally damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9, genus range

Swamp Milkweed
Asclepias incarnata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 36–60 in

Tarragon
Artemisia dracunculus
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 12–36 in

Threadleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis verticillata
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 30–36 in
Threadleaf Giant Hyssop
Agastache rupestris
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 36–36 in

Thyme
Thymus sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9, genus range
Tiger Beardtongue
Penstemon mensarum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 36–36 in

Toad Lily
Tricyrtis hirta
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8

Trillium
Trillium sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8, genus range

Trout Lily
Erythronium sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range
Upright Prairie Coneflower
Ratibida columnifera
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 36–36 in

Violets
Viola sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9, genus range

Virginia Bluebells
Mertensia virginica
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 18–24 in

White Boltonia
Boltonia asteroides
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–10
- Height
- 36–60 in

White Snakeroot
Ageratina altissima
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 24–60 in
Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 60–60 in

Wild Ginger
Asarum canadense
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–6
- Height
- 6–12 in

Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 12–36 in

Yellow Foxglove
Digitalis grandiflora
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8

Yellow Wax-Bells
Kirengeshoma palmata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8

Yucca
Yucca filamentosa
Rarely damaged- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–10
- Height
- 36–96 in
Shrub8

Anthony Waterer Spirea
Spiraea x bumalda
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8

Armstrong Juniper
Juniperus chinensis 'Armstrongii'
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 600–720 in

Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–8
- Height
- 60–120 in

Autumn Olive
Elaeagnus umbellata
Seldom damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 120–192 in

Barberry
Berberis sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8, genus range

Bayberry
Myrica pensylvanica
Rarely damaged- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 72–96 in

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