Deer will eat anything in the perennial garden if they are hungry enough. However, a garden composed of deer proof flowers, ferns, and ornamental grass plants will have greatly reduced or insignificant damage.
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Euphorbia x martinii 'Ascot Rainbow' PP 21,401
Item #: 8887
Zones: 6b to 8b, guessing
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 20" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $21.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $21.00 -
Euphorbia myrsinites
Item #: 4041
Zones: 5a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 6" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Southern Europe
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $21.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $21.00 -
Euphorbia 'Nothowlee'
Item #: 7575
Zones: 6a to 9b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $21.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $21.00 -
Euphorbia robbiae
Item #: 1293
Zones: 6a to 8b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Shade
Origin: Asia Minor
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $21.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $21.00 -
Farfugium japonicum 'Crazy Curls'
Item #: 16031
Zones: 7a to 10b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Light Shade to Shade
Origin: China, Japan, Korea
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $27.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $27.00 -
Fargesia robusta 'Ping Wu'
Item #: 6634
Zones: 7a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 96" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $39.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $39.00 -
Fargesia rufa
Item #: 6563
Zones: 5a to 8a, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 72" tall
Culture: Sun to Light Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $39.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $39.00 -
Fargesia sp. 'Jiuzhaigou I'
Item #: 6564
Zones: 5a to 7b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 120" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $39.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $39.00 -
Festuca 'Cool as Ice' PP 27,651
Item #: 11754
Zones: 4a to 7b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 10" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $23.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $23.00 -
Festuca glauca 'AmiGold'
Item #: 18549
Zones: 4a to 7b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 10" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Balkans
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $0.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $0.00This plant is available for JLBG Members only.
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Galanthus elwesii var. monostictus
Item #: 16958
Zones: 4a to 8a, at least
Dormancy: Summer, Fall
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Light Shade
Origin: Turkey
Pot Size: 2.5" pot (7.9 fl. oz/233 ml)
Regular price $24.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $24.00 -
Gaura lindheimeri 'Pink Cloud'
Item #: 3989
Zones: 6a to 10b, possibly colder
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 30" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: United States Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $21.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $21.00 -
Geranium 'Rozanne'
Item #: 5111
Zones: 5a to 8b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 15" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $21.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $21.00 -
Helianthus angustifolius 'Berkeley Gold'
Item #: 18028
Zones: 6a to 9b, guessing
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 36" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $23.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $23.00 -
Helianthus angustifolius 'First Light'
Item #: 4719
Zones: 5a to 9b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 48" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $23.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $23.00 -
Sold outHeliconia schiedeana
Item #: 8710
Zones: 8a to 10b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 72" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $32.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $32.00Sold out -
Helleborus x ballardiae 'Maestro' PP 23,859
Item #: 11948
Zones: 5a to 8b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 14" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $28.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $28.00Sold out -
Helleborus x ballardiae 'Pink Frost' PP 21,063
Item #: 9267
Zones: 5a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 14" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $28.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $28.00 -
Helleborus x ericsmithii 'Joker' PP 22,022
Item #: 9266
Zones: 5a to 8b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 10" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $28.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $28.00 -
Helleborus foetidus 'Dunham'
Item #: 6465
Zones: 5b to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 20" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Western Europe
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $26.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $26.00 -
Helleborus foetidus 'Krenitsky'
Item #: 2281
Zones: 5a to 9b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 20" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Western Europe
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $26.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $26.00 -
Helleborus foetidus 'Leather and Lace'
Item #: 10063
Zones: 6a to 9b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 30" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Southeast Europe
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $26.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $26.00 -
Helleborus foetidus 'Red Silver'
Item #: 7707
Zones: 5a to 9b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 30" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Western Europe
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $26.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $26.00 -
Helleborus x glandorfensis 'Early Red' PPAF
Item #: 17012
Zones: 5a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 15" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $29.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $29.00Sold out
More Information About Deer Resistant Plants
Our list of deer proof plants (mainly perennials) is based on our own experiences and compiled from print and online garden plant sources around the country, but we cannot guarantee that your deer will comply with these rules. Keep in mind that deer are like people at a buffet, each has a different palette. And of course, deer don't read online lists of deer resistant flowers so bucks and does do not know which plants deer won't eat.
Deer will eat, or at least nibble on anything in the perennial garden (including the normally deer-resistant ferns and ornamental grasses) if they are hungry enough. However, a garden composed of deer proof flowers, ferns, and ornamental grass plants will have greatly reduced or insignificant damage.
Deer browse is worse if you use chemical fertilizers and force lush new plant growth, so stick to organic fertilizers. We recommend black deer netting as the only sure deer repellent for your plants (www.bennersgardens.com). Whether you are looking for deer proof perennials for shade or sun, we have a nice selection for you to choose from. Our deer tolerant plants can save you from lots of headaches in the garden.
Top 5 Deer Resistant Plants for Shade
Here are 5 of our favorite deer resistant perennials for shade. See our fern list below for deer resistant options for your woodland garden.
- Amorphophallus
- Aspidistra
- Helleborus
- Illicium
- Ruscus
Top 5 Deer Resistant Plants for Sun
If you have a sunny spot that deer love, here a some of the most popular deer resistant perennials for sun.
- Agave
- Allium
- Brugmansia
- Colocasia
- Euphorbia
Deer Resistant Ferns
We are often asked "Do deer eat ferns?" and the answer in short is, yes... if they are hungry enough. The deer resistant ferns below offer the best chances on discouraging deer from foraging in your perennial garden.
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Adiantum (Maidenhair Fern)
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Arachniodes (Spider Fern)
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Athyrium (Japanese Painted Fern)
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Cyrtomium (Holly Fern)
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Cystopteris (Bladder Fern)
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Dryopteris (Autumn Fern)
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Matteuccia (Ostrich Fern)
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Onoclea (Sensitive Fern)
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Onychium (Cat's Claw Fern)
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Polystichum (Christmas Fern)
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Pteris (Table Fern)
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Thelypteris (Maiden Fern)
Be sure to read our article Deer Deer - We're Closed for Dinner which goes into more detail on plants that deer will typically not eat.























