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 7 of 9
States mostly in zone 5
Tree21
Red Maple
Acer rubrum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–9
- Height
- 480–1440 in
Red Pine
Pinus resinosa
Rarely damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
River Birch
Betula nigra
Rarely damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 360–840 in
Ruby Horsechestnut
Aesculus x carnea
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–7
Scotch Pine
Pinus sylvestris
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–7
- Height
- 360–720 in
Serbian Spruce
Picea omorika
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–7
- Height
- 600–720 in
Shadbush
Amelanchier canadensis
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Height
- 180–300 in
Silver Maple
Acer saccharinum
Occasionally damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 600–960 in
Sourwood
Oxydendrum arboreum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 240–360 in
Staghorn Sumac
Rhus typhina
Occasionally damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 96–300 in
Striped Maple
Acer pensylvanicum
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 180–420 in
Sweet Cherry
Prunus avium
Occasionally damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
Sweetgum
Liquidambar styraciflua
Occasionally damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 720–1200 in
Tulip Tree
Liriodendron tulipifera
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 960–1440 in
Western Arborvitae
Thuja plicata
Occasionally damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–7
- Height
- 600–840 in
White Fir
Abies concolor
Occasionally damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 360–840 in
White Fringe Tree
Chionanthus virginicus
Occasionally damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 144–360 in
White Oak
Quercus alba
Occasionally damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 600–1620 in
White Spruce
Picea glauca
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–6
- Height
- 480–720 in
Willow
Salix sp.
Occasionally damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8, genus range
Yellow Birch
Betula alleghaniensis
Seldom damaged- Type
- Tree
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 840–960 in
Bulb15
Autumn Crocus
Colchicum sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8, genus range
Bluebell
Endymion sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8, genus range
Camassia
Camassia leichtlinii
Seldom damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
Crocus
Crocus sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range
Crown Imperial
Fritillaria imperialis
Rarely damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–8
- Height
- 36–48 in
Daffodil
Narcissus spp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range
- Height
- 8–18 in
Garden Lily
Lilium sp.
Occasionally damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8, genus range
Grape Hyacinth
Muscari sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8, genus range
Hyacinth
Hyacinthus sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8, genus range
Ornamental Onion
Allium giganteum
Rarely damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 12–72 in
Siberian Squill
Scilla siberica
Rarely damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–8
Snowdrops
Galanthus nivalis
Rarely damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 4–10 in
Tulip
Tulipa spp.
Frequently damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range
- Height
- 10–24 in
Winter Aconite
Eranthis hyemalis
Rarely damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–7
- Height
- 3–6 in
Wood Sorrel
Oxalis sp.
Seldom damaged- Type
- Bulb
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8, genus range
Ornamental grass24
Big Bluestem
Andropogon sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9, genus range
Blue Fescue
Festuca glauca
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 9–12 in
Blue Oat Grass
Helictotrichon sempervirens
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 24–36 in
Bottlebrush Grass
Hystrix patula
Seldom damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 30–36 in
Clump Bamboo
Fargesia sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9, genus range
Drooping Sedge
Carex pendula
Seldom damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
Feather Reed Grass
Calamagrostis sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9, genus range
Giant Japanese Silver Grass
Miscanthus floridulus
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 96–144 in
Golden Bamboo
Phyllostachys aurea
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–10
- Height
- 180–240 in
Hard Rush
Juncus effusus
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
Indian Grass
Sorghastrum nutans
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 60–84 in
Japanese Blood Grass
Imperata cylindrica
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 24–48 in
Japanese Forest Grass
Hakonechloa macra
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 12–18 in
Japanese Sedge
Carex sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9, genus range
Japanese Silver Grass
Miscanthus sinensis
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 48–144 in
Japanese Sweet Flag
Acorus sp.
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9, genus range
Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–9
- Height
- 24–48 in
Lyme Grass
Leymus arenarius
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–10
- Height
- 24–48 in
Northern Sea Oats
Chasmanthium latifolium
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 24–60 in
Purple Moor Grass
Molinia caerulea
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Height
- 24–48 in
Ravenna Grass
Erianthus ravennae
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 72–240 in
Ribbon Grass
Phalaris arundinacea
Seldom damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 24–60 in
Sedge
Scirpus lacustris
Seldom damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Height
- 48–96 in
Switchgrass
Panicum virgatum
Rarely damaged- Type
- Ornamental grass
- Hardiness
- Zones 5–9
- Height
- 36–84 in