Below is a list of plants that tend to be more deer-resistant. Deer-resistant does not mean deer-proof, and even the plants on this list will get nibbled on from time to time. Deer browsing depends upon the available food source for that year, time of year, location, deer species, and simple curiosity. The only sure-fire way to keep the deer from nibbling is to put up a tall enough fence. Use this list as a guideline and good luck!
Trees
- Concolor Fir (Abies concolor)
- Grand Fir (Abies grandis)
- Sub-alpine Fir (Abies lasiocarpa)
- Vine Maple (Acer circinatum)
- Boxelder (Acer negundo)
- Paper Birch (Betula papyrifera)
- European White Birch (Betula pendula)
- Incense Cedar (Calocedrus decurrens)
- Atlas Cedar (Cedrus negundo)
- Port Orford Cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana)
- Kousa Dogwood (Cornus kousa)
- English Hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata)
- Russian Olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia)
- European Beech (Fagus sylvatica)
- Green Ash or White Ash (Fraxinus spp.)
- Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos)
- Holly (Ilex spp.)
- Juniper (Juniperus spp.)
- Western Larch (Larix occidentalis)
- Norway Spruce (Picea abies)
- White Spruce (Picea glauca)
- Colorado Blue Spruce (Picea pungens)
- Bristlecone Pine (Pinus aristata)
- Mugo Pine (Pinus mugo)
- Austrian Pine (Pinus nigra)
- Scotch Pine (Pinus sylvestris)
- Japanese Flowering Cherry (Prunus serrulata)
- Pin Oak (Quercus palustris)
- Red Oak (Quercus rubra)
- Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)
- Pink Idaho Locust (Robinia x ambigua “Idahoensis”)
- Corkscrew Willow (Salix matsudana tortuosa)
- Mountain Ash (Sorbus aucuparia)
- Japanese tree Lilac (Syringa reticulata)
Shrubs
- Barberry (Berberis spp.)
- Butterfly Bush (cultivars)
- Pea Shrub (Caragana spp.)
- Bluebeard (Caryopteris clandonensis)
- Flowering Quince (Chaenomeles spp.)
- Desert Sweet (Chamaebatiaria millefolium)
- Gray Rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus)
- Green Rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus)
- Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus stolonifera)
- Smoke tree (Cotinus coggygria)
- Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster spp.)
- Daphne (Daphne spp.)
- Forsythia (Forsythia spp.)
- False Broom (Genista lydia)
- Holly (Ilex spp.)
- Juniper (Juniperus spp.)
- Beauty Bush (Kolkwitzia amabilis)
- Privet (Ligustrum spp.)
- Arnold’s Red Honey-suckle (Lonicera tatarica ‘Arnold’s Red’)
- Oregon Grape Holly (Mahonia aquifolium)
- Prickly Pear (Opuntia spp.)
- Pumila Spruce (Picea abies ‘Pumila’)
- Shrubby Potentilla (Potentilla fruticosa)
- Firethorn (Pyracantha spp.)
- Buckthorn (Rhamnus spp.)
- Rhododendron (Rhododendron spp.)
- Red Elderberry (Sambucus racemosa)
- Buffaloberry (Shepherdia canadensis)
- Snowmound Spirea (Spiraea nipponica)
- Common Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)
- Viburnum (Viburnum spp.)
- Adam’s Needle Yucca (Yucca filamentosa)
Vines
- Clematis (Clematis spp.)
- Japanese Wisteria (Wisteria floribunda)
Perennials & Bulbs
- Yarrow (Achillea spp.)
- Monkshood (Aconitum spp.)
- Ladybells (Adenophora confusa)
- Bishop’s Weed (Aegopodium podagraria)
- Hyssop (Agastache rupestris)
- Carpet Bugle (Ajuga reptans)
- Onion/Garlic (Allium spp.)
- Ornamental Onion (Allium senescens ‘Glaucum’)
- Leadplant (Amorpha canescens)
- Marguerite Daisy (Anthemis spp.)
- Columbine (Aquilegia spp.)
- Wormwood or Sage (Artemisia spp.)
- Big Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata)
- Basket of Gold (Aurinia saxatilis)
- Arrow-leaf Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata)
- False Indigo (Baptisia australis)
- Bluebeard (Caryopteris clandonensis)
- Bachelor’s Button (Centaurea cyanus)
- Snow in Summer (Cerastium tomentosum)
- Coreopsis or Tickseed (Coreopsis grandiflora)
- Threadleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata)
- Delphinium (Delphinium spp.)
- Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus)
Perennials
- Maiden Pinks (Dianthus deltoides )
- Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spp. )
- Foxglove (Digitalis spp. )
- Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
- Buckwheat (Eriogonum spp.)
- Spurge (Euphorbia spp.)
- Apache Plume (Fallugia paradoxa)
- Blanket Flower (Gaillardia spp.)
- Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum)
- Cranesbill (Geranium spp.)
- Grecian Rose (Geum spp.)
- Baby Breath (Gypsophila spp.)
- Sneezeweed (Helenium spp.)
- Sunflower (Helianthus spp.)
- Hellebore (Helleborus spp.)
- Daylily (Hemerocallis spp.)
- Dame’s Rocket (Hesperis matronalis)
- Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)
- Iris (Iris spp.)
- Red-hot Poker (Kniphofia uvaria)
- Deadnettle (Lamium spp.)
- Lavender (Lavandula spp.)
- Gayfeather (Liatris spp.)
- Blue Flax (Linum lewisii)
- Desert Parsley (Lomatium spp.)
- Lupine (Lupinus spp.)
- Maltese Cross (Lychnis chalcedonica)
- Rose Campion (Lychnis coronaria)
- Daffodil, Narcissus (Narcissus spp.)
- Catmint (Nepeta spp.)
- Evening Primrose (Oenothera spp.)
- Oregano (Origanum spp.)
- Peony (Paeonia spp.)
- Oriental Poppy (Papaver orientale)
- Penstemon (Penstemon spp.)
- Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)
- Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana)
- Creeping potentilla (Potentilla verna ‘Nana’)
- Mexican Hat (Ratibida spp.)
- Rhubarb (Rheum spp.)
- Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia spp.)
- Sage (Salvia nemorosa)
- Lavender Cotton (Santolina chamaecyparissus)
- Soapwort (Saponaria spp.)
- Pincushion (Scabiosa spp.)
- Catchfly (Silene spp.)
- Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)
- Lamb’s Ear (Stachys byzantina)
- Orange Globe Mallow (Sphaeralcea munroana)
- Tansy & Feverfew (Tanacetum spp.)
- Germander (Teucrium spp.)
- Thyme (Thymus spp.)
- Periwinkle (Vinca minor)
- Mule’s Ears (Wyethia spp.)
This piece is part of the collection
Living with wildlife, Central Oregon Garden Publications
