This tactic in deer control simply allows you to play the odds through smart plant selection. If you grow plants that deer are less likely to eat, you increase your chances of escaping pest damage. Alyssum, irises, peonies, foxgloves, poppies, and even certain herbs like lavender and sage are popular plants that deer avoid. Some of these plants are toxic to deer, while others produce strong smells that deer avoid. All of the 22 perennials listed here are considered deer-resistant and are hardy to at least USDA planting zone 5 (unless otherwise noted).
Foxglove Oriental poppy Delphinium
But even as a smaller plant it can be a real looker, as your attention is drawn to the uniquely shaped individual flowers. It is hard to think of a cuter and more aptly named plant. The shape of a bleeding heart’s flower lives up to the plant’s common name, right down to the little droplet dripping out from the bottom.
USDA Growing Zones: 6 to 9Sun Exposure: Full shade to part shadeSoil Needs: Moist, fertile, well-drained, slightly acid
USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 9Sun Exposure: Full shade to part shadeSoil Needs: Moist, fertile, well-drained
USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 7Sun Exposure: Part shade to full shadeSoil Needs: Moist, rich, well-drained, acid
Catnip is a long-blooming perennial that grows 2 to 3 feet tall and has white flowers that bloom from May to September. Deer hate the smell of these plants, so they generally don’t eat them. Cats, on the other hand, famously love the leaves of this perennial herb. All you have to do is harvest the leafy stems, hang them up to dry, then crush the dried leaves for your cat.
USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 7Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shadeSoil Needs: Well-drained, dry to medium moisture
USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 7Sun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Well-drained, poor
USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 10Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shadeSoil Needs: Well-drained, loamy, acid to alkaline
Popular types of salvia include common garden sage (Salvia officianalis) as well as various ornamental species and cultivars. Salvia officinalis ‘Tricolor’ boasts splendid variegated leaves in three colors: white, green, and purple. If you prefer blue flowers, grow any of the blue-flowering salvias. Caradonna salvia is a favorite for its dark, graceful flower spikes.
USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 10Color Varieties: Blue, purple, pink, redSun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Well-drained, dry to medium moisture
That works out well for people who love to grow perennials with sweet-smelling flowers, such as plants in the Iris genus. Not all irises are equally fragrant. When in doubt, try to find the old-fashioned bearded varieties.
USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 9Color Variations: Red, orange, yellow, blue, purple, brown, white, black, pinkSun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Sandy or gravelly, well-drained, medium moisture
Lamb’s ear spreads easily, making it an effective ground cover. A drought-tolerant perennial, it also works well in rock gardens. Its soft, silver leaves provide a nice backdrop for companion plants.
USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 7Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shadeSoil Needs: Well-drained, dry to medium moisture, slightly acid
English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is the most commonly grown type and is hardy to zone 5. If you live in a warm climate, you can consider growing Spanish (L. stoechas) or French lavender (L. dentata), which are hardy to zone 7.
USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 9, depending on speciesSun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Well-drained, moderately fertile
USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 9Sun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Well-drained, dry to medium moisture
Technically, the showy feature of this deer-resistant perennial is called a “sepal,” as opposed to a true flower petal. Call this feature what you like, but what is impressive is how long the plant retains it, giving you something interesting to look at in the garden for months.
USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 9Color Variations: Purple, red, yellow, green, blue, lavender, pinkSun Exposure: Part shadeSoil Needs: Rich, moist, well-drained
USDA Growing Zones: 2 to 9Sun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Fertile, well-drained, neutral to slightly acid
This is a specimen you will want to locate somewhere where you can fully appreciate the beauty of its flowers during the blooming period (May or June, depending on where you live). Oriental poppies put on a spectacular, although brief, floral show. Dry the pods left over after the blooming period for craft projects.
USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 9Sun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Well-drained, fertile
There are many kinds of speedwells. One of the most popular among home gardeners is a cultivar called Veronica spicata ‘Royal Candles’. From a distance, the plant looks a bit like small blue salvia.
USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 8Color Varieties: Purplish-blue, pink, whiteSun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Well-drained
Jack Frost Brunnera bears small blue flowers in spring, but its most interesting feature is its variegated silver leaves with green veins.
USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 9Sun Exposure: Part shade to full shadeSoil Needs: Rich, moist
USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 9Color Varieties: Yellow, white, red, blue, pink, purpleSun Exposure: Full sun to part shadeSoil Needs: Rich, well-drained
USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 8Color Varieties: White, purple, mauveSun Exposure: Full sun to part shadeSoil Needs: Rich, well-drained, loamy, medium moisture
USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 8Sun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Moist to dry, well-drained
One of those interesting terms you come across in the world of gardening is used to describe the center of a delphinium’s flower: the bee. It has nothing to do with the insect. These bees are sometimes white or black, and they may or may not be distinct. Delphiniums are a “live fast, die young” kind of plant. They shoot up quickly and stand head and shoulders above most other flowers but are very short-lived for a perennial.
USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 7Color Varieties: Blue, white, pink, purpleSun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Fertile, well-drained, evenly moist
USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 7Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shadeSoil Needs: Rich, moist, well-drained
USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 9Sun Exposure: Part shade to full shadeSoil Needs: Rich, damp, acid
