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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Mangave 'Night Owl' PP 38,403
Item #: 16603
Zones: Tropical
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 8" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $30.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Mangave 'Pineapple Punch' PP 32,041
Item #: 16633
Zones: 8b to 11, guessing
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 $30.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Mangave 'Pineapple Upside Down Cake'
Item #: 15179
Zones: 8a to 11, guessing
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 $38.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Mangave 'Praying Hands' PP 34,508
Item #: 16604
Zones: 9a to 10b, guessing
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $45.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Mangave 'Purplicious'
Item #: 12946
Zones: 9a to 11, guessing
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 $29.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Mangave 'Queen for a Day' PP 32,711
Item #: 14428
Zones: 9a to 11, guessing
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 $60.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Mangave 'Red Wing' PP 31,459
Item #: 13795
Zones: 9a to 11, guessing
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 16" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $29.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Mangave 'Snow Leopard' PP 31,137
Item #: 13854
Zones: 8a to 11, guessing
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 $29.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Sold out
Manihot grahamii
Item #: 4164
Zones: 7b to 10b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 120" tall
Culture: Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $27.00Regular priceUnit price perSold out -
Sold out
Matteuccia struthiopteris 'The King'
Item #: 8692
Zones: 3a to 8b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 36" tall
Culture: Sun to Light Shade
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price perNext crop available: 06/07/2024Sold out -
Monarda 'Bubblegum Blast' PP 27,497
Item #: 11860
Zones: 4a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: United States Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $20.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Monarda 'Electric Neon Pink' PP 30,347
Item #: 13246
Zones: 4a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: United States Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $20.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Monarda 'Electric Neon Purple' PP 34,512
Item #: 17878
Zones: 4a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: United States Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $20.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Monarda 'Leading Lady Plum' PP 26,447
Item #: 13492
Zones: 4a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: United States Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $20.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Monarda luteola 'Coconut Lime'
Item #: 17062
Zones: 4a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 30" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $24.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Muhlenbergia sericea (capillaris of Horticulture)
Item #: 2317
Zones: 6b to 10b, possibly colder
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 30" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $23.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Muhlenbergia sericea 'White Cloud'
Item #: 6240
Zones: 6b to 10b, possibly colder
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 48" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $24.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Myosotis palustris 'Southern Blues'
Item #: 1427
Zones: 4a to 8b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 6" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Europe
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $20.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Nassella tenuissima
Item #: 258
Zones: 7a to 10b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Mexico, United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Nepeta 'Cat's Pajamas' PP 31,127
Item #: 16656
Zones: 3a to 8b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 14" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $21.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Nepeta 'Purple Haze' PP 23,180
Item #: 9597
Zones: 5a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 10" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $21.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Nerium oleander 'Mathilde Ferrier'
Item #: 3785
Zones: 7b to 10b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 96" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $27.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Nothoscordum sellowianum
Item #: 6448
Zones: 7a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Summer, Fall
Height: 1" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Argentina
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $21.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Sold out
Notocactus floricomus
Item #: 11178
Zones: 7b to 10b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 4" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $24.00Regular priceUnit price perNext crop available: 06/14/2024Sold 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.