Fact Sheet – PL6 8/04
Deer and Deer Resistant Plants
Key Points:
·
The joy of wildlife can quickly turn into frustration as deer and other
animals munch on your prized plants.
·
There is no black and white list of plants that deer like or
dislike. One day they will eat a plant and won’t touch it the next.
·
Repellants and fencing are worth trying but expect varying results.
·
Deer tend to avoid plants that are thorny or prickly, have thick
leathery leaves or a strong aroma, such as marigolds and geraniums.
The joys of living in rural areas are the peace and quiet, clear air, open spaces and wildlife. With this joy often comes the frustration of watching wildlife eat prized plants. As deer browse they carefully select only their favorite plants, leaving other less desirable plants alone. It is far easier to plant ornamentals that are on the less desirable list than to try and protect the choice ones. However, even the plants on the least favored list are often damaged as deer have taste buds which vary from year to year and from season to season. Unfortunately deer haven’t read this list either.
Repellants
There are many repellants on the market, some of
which have been reported to be successful in deterring deer. Many products demonstrate limited success at
times and no effect at others. They
should be tried to test their effectiveness.
Products such as millogranite spread over the garden at one half rate
will double as a fertilizer and as a fairly effective deer repellant. Fish emulsion works in a similar manner. Expect some odor from these types of
repellants. Other products that have
shown success are Liquid Fence, National Scent and an Ortho product called Deer
Repellant. Apply early in the season and
repeat monthly.
Fencing
Fencing is also difficult and often proves to be
ineffective given deer’s ability to step or jump over a normal six-foot fence
or they simply walk up the driveway. To
increase the effectiveness, use a solid fence that will impede deer’s ability
to see through the fence. Deer will not
jump over something they can’t see through.
You can also plant shrubs and vines to soften the appearance of a solid
wood fence.
Reports indicate a fence can be constructed using
two parallel strands of wire placed 28 inches above the ground and spaced 36
inches apart. Deer cannot understand
they need to hop over both wire strands and appear to be intimidated by this
wide barrier. Fencing around each
individual tree works as well.
Plant Selection
Regardless of repellants, fencing or dogs, we eventually revert to using plants with the least likelihood of being bothered by deer. Remember that what is not eaten today may be on the deer menu tomorrow. The following plants appear to be ones that deer usually don’t eat and share the same characteristics mentioned in key points.
Trees Shrubs Ground
Covers Vines
Ash Arborvitae Ajuga Bittersweet
Catalpa Barberry Bishop’s Weed Boston Ivy
Cedar Boxwood Dwarf Plumbago Clematis
Colorado Spruce Butterfly Bush English Ivy English Ivy
Cypress Coralberry Lily of the Valley Grape
Douglas Fir Cotoneaster Rockcress Honeysuckle
Fir Currant Sweet Woodruff Silverlace Vine
Ginkgo Forsythia Vinca Virginia Creeper
Hackberry Holly Wild Strawberry Wisteria
Hawthorn Juniper
Honeylocust Lilac Bulbs
Japanese Maple Oregon Grape
Liquidambar Potentilla Alium
Oak Pyracanthia Autumn Crocus
Redbud Quince Colchicum
Redwood Smoke Bush Daffodil
Smoke Tree Snowberry Fritillaria
Sycamore Spirea Grape Hyacinth
Vine Maple Sumac Scilla
Perennials Annuals
Artemisia Heather Salvia Ageratum
Aster Hellebore Santolina Alyssum
Astilbe Hens and Chicks Sedum Lobelia
Basket of Gold Herbs (except Basil) Shasta Daisy Marigold
Begonia – Tuberous Iris Snow-in-Summer Nasturtium
Bergenia Larkspur Speedwell Petunia
Black-eyed Susan Lupine Sweet William Salvia
Bleeding Heart Monkshood Violet Snapdragon
Candytuft Penstemon Wallflower Stock
Catmint Peony Yarrow Sunflower
Columbine Phlox Tithonia
Coreopsis Pinks Zinnia
Day Lily Poppy
Ferns Purple Coneflower
Four O’Clock Red Hot Poker
Foxglove Russian Sage