Deer Resistant Plants List
The following plants are, to the best of our knowledge, commonly regarded as deer resistant. However, deer will sometimes browse even these plants if food is in short supply. Perennials and shrubs will not usually suffer permanent damage, but trees, especially young trees, will need protection. You can fence them in until the deer cannot reach the canopy, or you can use a spray repellant. We recommend and sell Bobbex, which has proven to be very effective.
Even with a good food supply, deer will occasionally nibble on some of the plants on our list. We have marked these with an asterisk (*). The most reliably deer resistant plants are those with acrid sap or strongly scented foliage. Drought-tolerant plants and those with fuzzy leaves are also good choices.
At River Meadow Farms on Vancouver Island, we currently sell Western Red Cedar and Boxwoods, which are both excellent deer resistant plant options for your yard in the Comox Valley and beyond.
Deer Resistant Plants List
- Abies koreana • Korean Fir
- Achillea • Yarrow
- Aconitum • Monkshood
- Ajuga • Bugleweed
- Albizia julibrissin • Silk Tree
- Aralia elata • Japanese Angelica Tree
- Araucaria araucana • Monkey Puzzle Tree
- Arctostaphyllos uva-ursi • Kinnikinnick
- Astilbe * • Astilbe
- Berberis • Barberry
- Bergenia cordifolia * • Bergenia
- Brachyglottis greyii • Grey’s Senecio
- Buddleja davidii • Butterfly Bush
- Buxus • Boxwood
- Calamagrostis • Feather Reed Grass
- Calluna vulgaris * • Summer Heather
- Carex • Sedge
- Cedrus deodara • True Cedar
- Chaenomeles japonica • Japanese Flowering Quince
- Chamaecyparis • False Cypress
- Choisya ternata * • Mexican Mock Orange
- Cistus • Rock Rose
- Clematis (Deciduous) • Clematis
- Cortaderia • Pampas Grass
- Cotinus * • Smokebush
- Cotoneaster • Cotoneaster
- Crataegus • Hawthorn
- Crocosmia • Montbretia
- Cryptomeria • Japanese Cedar
- Cupressocyparis x Leylandii • Leyland
- Cupressocyparis x Leylandii • Leyland Cypress
- Cupressus arizonica • Arizona Cypress
- Daphne • Daphne
- Dicentra * • Bleeding Heart
- Echinacea • Coneflower
- Epimedium • Barrenwort
- Erica * • Winter Heather
- Erysimum • Wallflower
- Euphorbia • Spurge
- Fargesia • Fountain Bamboo
- Ferns – ALL
- Festuca • Fescue
- Fraxinus • Ash (except Mountain Ash)
- Ginkgo • Ginkgo
- Ground Covers
- Gunnera manicata • Giant Gunnera
- Hammamelis • Witch Hazel
- Helichtotrichon • Oat Grass
- Helleborus • Christmas Rose
- Hypericum • St. John’s Wort
- Ilex aquifolium • English Holly
- Imperata • Japanese Blood Grass
- Iris • Iris
- Jasminium • Jasmine
- Juniperus • Juniper
- Lavandula • Lavender
- Leucothoe • Fetterbush
- Ligustrum japonica • Japanese Privet
- Liquidambar styraciflua • Sweetgum
- Lupinus • Lupine
- Magnolia • Magnolia
- Mahonia • Oregon Grape
- Miscanthus • Miscanthus
- Morus • Mulberry
- Ophiopogon • Mondo Grass
- Osmanthus • Osmanthus
- Paeonia • Peony
- Panicum • Switch Grass
- Parthenocissus • Boston Ivy
- Pennisetum • Fountain Grass
- Penstemon* • Penstemon
- Perovskia • Russian Sage
- Phormium • New Zealand Flax
- Phyllostachys nigra • Black Bamboo
- Picea • Spruce
- Pieris • Lily of the Valley Shrub
- Pinus • Pine
- Potentilla • Potentilla
- Pseudotsuga menziesii • Douglas Fir
- Pyracantha • Pyracantha
- Rhododendron • Rhododendron
- Ribes sanguineum * • Flowering Currant
- Rosa rugosa • Rugosa Rose
- Rosmarinus officinalis • Rosemary
- Rudbeckia fulgida • Black-eyed Susan
- Santolina • Santolina
- Sarcococca • Sweet Box
- Senecio cineraria • Dusty Miller
- Sequoiadendron giganteum • Giant Sequoia
- Skimmia • Skimmia
- Spiraea • Spiraea
- Styrax japonica • Japanese Snowbell
- Syringa vulgaris • Lilac
- Thuja plicata * • Western Red Cedar
- Tsuga • Hemlock
- Vaccinium ovatum • Evergreen Huckleberry
- Viburnum burkwoodii • Burkwood Viburnum
- Viburnum davidii * • David Viburnum
- Viburnum tinus* • Laurustinus
- Vinca • Periwinkle
- Wisteria • Wisteria