Browse-pressure planning

Deer-Resistant Garden Plants

No plant is deer proof. This page filters for plants marked rarely damaged or seldom damaged so you can start with a better shortlist.

Deer resistance is not a guarantee; it is a risk-reduction filter. Local herd pressure, winter hunger, new growth, and irrigation can change what deer sample.

This list uses the site's browsing-resistance cues to find better starting points, then keeps water, spacing, and light visible so the plant still fits the bed.

Open deer-resistant bed plan Open plant screener
Better deer cues
135
Visible shortlist
24
Timing data
135

Useful setup tools

Useful supplies

Protection / After planting

Rabbit or deer protection

Guard young edible, native, and ornamental plants until they can tolerate browsing.

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Soil / After planting

Organic mulch

Hold soil moisture, suppress weeds, moderate soil temperature, and protect shallow roots.

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Tools / Planting day

Hand trowel

Plant starts, herbs, flowers, bulbs, and smaller container plants at the right depth.

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Watering / Planting day

Watering wand or can

Water new transplants gently without washing soil away from the crown or roots.

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How this page is built

Selection notes

Browse category

Filters for Rutgers-style rarely damaged or seldom damaged cues when the database has them.

Not deer proof

The page avoids guarantees because local deer pressure can override resistance ratings.

Protection context

Cards keep spacing, water, and deer rating together so fencing or repellents can be planned early.

Browse profiles

Perennial flower

Raspberry Wine bee balm

raspberry-red flowers in summer

Deer
Rarely damaged
Spacing
2-3 ft in-row x 8-10 ft rows
Water
Medium water
Light
Full/Partial sun
Pollinators & wildlifeCurb appeal & colorhummingbird plantaromatic foliage
Annual vegetable

Florence fennel

bulbs and fronds in cool weather

Deer
Seldom damaged
Spacing
0.5-1 ft in-row x 1.5-2 ft rows
Water
Medium water
Light
Full sun
Vegetables & herbsPollinators & wildlifeanise-flavored bulbbeneficial insect flowers if allowed
Annual vegetable

Dutch Yellow shallot

shallot bulbs in summer

Deer
Rarely damaged
Spacing
0.3-0.5 ft in-row x 1-1.5 ft rows
Water
Medium water
Light
Full sun
Vegetables & herbsstorage alliummild onion flavor
Perennial vegetable

Egyptian walking onion

green onions and bulbils most seasons

Deer
Rarely damaged
Spacing
0.3-0.5 ft in-row x 1-1.5 ft rows
Water
Medium water
Light
Full/Partial sun
Vegetables & herbsperennial alliumself-propagating topsets
Annual vegetable

Evergreen bunching onion

green onions over a long season

Deer
Rarely damaged
Spacing
0.3-0.5 ft in-row x 1-1.5 ft rows
Water
Medium water
Light
Full/Partial sun
Vegetables & herbsnon-bulbing scallioncold-tolerant allium
Annual vegetable

Music hardneck garlic

early summer bulbs

Deer
Rarely damaged
Spacing
0.5-0.7 ft in-row x 1-1.5 ft rows
Water
Medium water
Light
Full sun
Vegetables & herbslarge clovescold-hardy hardneck
Annual vegetable

California Early softneck garlic

bulbs harvest in early summer

Deer
Rarely damaged
Spacing
0.5-0.7 ft in-row x 1-1.5 ft rows
Water
Medium water
Light
Full sun
Vegetables & herbssoftneck garlicgood braiding type
Perennial vegetable

Crosne Chinese artichoke

knobby tubers in fall

Deer
Rarely damaged
Spacing
3-4 ft in-row x 4-5 ft rows
Water
Medium water
Light
Full/Partial sun
Vegetables & herbssmall tubersperennial edible
Perennial vegetable

Rakkyo shallot

small bulbs in summer

Deer
Rarely damaged
Spacing
0.3-0.5 ft in-row x 1-1.5 ft rows
Water
Medium water
Light
Full sun
Vegetables & herbsJapanese pickling onionsmall bulbs
Ornamental tree

Eastern red cedar

evergreen foliage year-round; blue berries for birds

Deer
Rarely damaged
Spacing
15-35 ft apart
Water
Low water
Light
Full sun
Privacy & screeningPollinators & wildlifenative juniperdrought-tolerant
Ornamental grass

Big bluestem

tall blue-green grass and fall color

Deer
Rarely damaged
Spacing
2-4 ft apart
Water
Low water
Light
Full sun
Pollinators & wildlifeCurb appeal & colornative prairie grassbird cover and seed
Ornamental grass

Indian grass

golden seed plumes in late summer

Deer
Rarely damaged
Spacing
2-4 ft apart
Water
Low water
Light
Full sun
Pollinators & wildlifeCurb appeal & colornative prairie grasswarm-season structure
Ornamental grass

Little bluestem

blue-green summer grass and copper fall color

Deer
Rarely damaged
Spacing
1.5-5 ft in-row x 2-4 ft rows
Water
Low water
Light
Full sun
Curb appeal & colorPollinators & wildlifenative warm-season grassdrought tolerant
Ornamental grass

Northwind switchgrass

upright summer grass and winter seedheads

Deer
Rarely damaged
Spacing
1.5-5 ft in-row x 2-4 ft rows
Water
Medium water
Light
Full sun
Curb appeal & colorPollinators & wildlifenative grass cultivarstrong vertical habit
Ornamental shrub

Shamrock inkberry

evergreen native foliage year-round

Deer
Rarely damaged
Spacing
3-8 ft apart
Water
Medium water
Light
Full/Partial sun
Curb appeal & colorPollinators & wildlifecompact native holly substitutedeer-resistant
Ornamental grass

Shenandoah switchgrass

red-tinged foliage and summer plumes

Deer
Rarely damaged
Spacing
1.5-5 ft in-row x 2-4 ft rows
Water
Medium water
Light
Full sun
Curb appeal & colorPollinators & wildlifenative switchgrass cultivarreddish fall color
Ornamental tree

American holly

evergreen foliage year-round; red berries in winter

Deer
Rarely damaged
Spacing
3-8 ft in-row x 15-35 ft rows
Water
Medium water
Light
Full/Partial sun
Privacy & screeningPollinators & wildlifenative holly treesongbird food
Ornamental shrub

Dwarf yaupon holly

evergreen structure

Deer
Rarely damaged
Spacing
3-8 ft apart
Water
Low water
Light
Full/Partial sun
Curb appeal & colorPollinators & wildlifenative evergreentolerates pruning
Annual flower

Alaska nasturtium

edible leaves and flowers

Deer
Seldom damaged
Spacing
1-2 ft apart
Water
Medium water
Light
Partial/Full sun
Pollinators & wildlifeCurb appeal & colorvariegated foliageedible blooms
Perennial flower

Black-eyed Susan

summer to fall bloom

Deer
Rarely damaged
Spacing
1-3 ft apart
Water
Low water
Light
Full sun
Pollinators & wildlifeCurb appeal & colornative daisy flowerslong bloom season
Ornamental grass

Blue grama

eyelash seed heads in summer

Deer
Rarely damaged
Spacing
1.5-5 ft in-row x 2-4 ft rows
Water
Low water
Light
Full sun
Native plantsCurb appeal & colorshort native grassexcellent low-water texture
Perennial flower

Butterfly weed

orange summer bloom

Deer
Seldom damaged
Spacing
1-3 ft apart
Water
Low water
Light
Full sun
Pollinators & wildlifeCurb appeal & colornative milkweedmonarch host plant
Perennial flower

Cinderella swamp milkweed

deep pink milkweed flowers in summer

Deer
Seldom damaged
Spacing
1-3 ft apart
Water
Medium water
Light
Full sun
Pollinators & wildlifeCurb appeal & colormonarch host plantmoisture-tolerant native
Perennial herb

Common chives

leaves and edible purple flowers in spring and summer

Deer
Rarely damaged
Spacing
1-3 ft apart
Water
Medium water
Light
Full/Partial sun
Vegetables & herbsPollinators & wildlifeeasy perennial alliumpollinator-friendly bloom

Showing 24 of 135 matches. Open the plant screener for the full list.

Source trail

References used by this shortlist

Deer categories come from the plant metric source keys behind the visible records, especially Rutgers-style browsing ratings when available.

351 matching records NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox Reference basis for ornamental plant size, function, and right-plant-right-place screening. 270 matching records Rutgers NJAES - Landscape Plants Rated by Deer Resistance Deer browsing categories used as planning cues; no plant is deer proof under heavy pressure. 162 matching records Penn State Extension - Landscaping and Gardening Around Walnuts and Other Juglone Producing Plants Black walnut and juglone sensitivity/tolerance cue for garden placement screening. 135 matching records University of Maryland Extension - Types of Containers for Growing Vegetables Container volume guidance, including large vegetables and 25-30 gallon dwarf fruit tree containers. 108 matching records K-State Extension Master Gardener Handbook - Herbaceous Plants Herbaceous spacing method based on mature plant form and height. 105 matching records Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder Reference basis for horticultural height, spread, bloom, and cultural ranges.

Individual plant profiles show their own source links and caveats; this page shows the common references behind the current collection.

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