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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Salvia madrensis 'Red Neck Girl'
Item #: 4742
Zones: 7b to 10b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 84" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $23.00Regular priceUnit price per
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Salvia 'Mes Azur' PP 21,097
Item #: 16664
Zones: 6b to 9b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: United States Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Salvia microphylla 'Hot Lips'
Item #: 5424
Zones: 6a to 9b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 30" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $17.60Regular priceUnit price per$22.00Sale price $17.60Sale -
Salvia microphylla 'San Carlos Festival'
Item #: 185
Zones: 7a to 9b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Salvia 'Mirage Blue' PP 33,036
Item #: 18232
Zones: 7a to 9b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 16" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: United States Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Salvia 'Mirage Cherry Red' PP 28,527
Item #: 18233
Zones: 7a to 9b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 16" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: United States Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $17.60Regular priceUnit price per$22.00Sale price $17.60Sale -
Salvia nutans
Item #: 11572
Zones: 5b to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 48" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Balkans, Russia
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $21.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Salvia oxyphora
Item #: 1931
Zones: 8a to 10b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 36" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Bolivia, Peru
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Sold outSalvia penstemonoides
Item #: 4899
Zones: 6a to 9b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 36" 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 -
Salvia 'Phyllis Fancy'
Item #: 6157
Zones: 7b to 9b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 84" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Salvia regla 'Jame'
Item #: 1626
Zones: 7b to 10b, possibly colder
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 48" 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 -
Salvia 'Rockin' ® Deep Purple' PP 30,206
Item #: 16698
Zones: 8a to 10b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 60" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Salvia roemeriana
Item #: 2326
Zones: 7a to 10b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 10" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Mexico, United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $21.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Sold outSalvia 'Silke's Dream'
Item #: 4442
Zones: 7a to 10b, possibly colder
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $21.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Salvia 'Smokey Jazz' PP 33,224
Item #: 17866
Zones: 7b to 9b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 36" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Salvia x sylvestris 'Violet Riot' PP 26,273
Item #: 10370
Zones: 4a to 8a
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 24" 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 per -
Salvia uliginosa
Item #: 1091
Zones: 6a to 10b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 55" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $21.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Sanguinaria canadensis 'Multiplex'
Item #: 2688
Zones: 4a to 8b
Dormancy: Winter, Summer, Fall
Height: 6" tall
Culture: Light Shade to Shade
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $32.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Sarcococca hookeriana var. digyna 'Purple Stem'
Item #: 8597
Zones: 6a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Shade
Origin: Himalayan Mountains
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $23.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Schizachyrium scoparium 'Chameleon' PP 31,339
Item #: 16886
Zones: 3a to 8b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $24.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Schizachyrium scoparium 'Twilight Zone' PP 27,432
Item #: 13509
Zones: 3a to 8b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 36" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $24.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Scutellaria suffrutescens 'Texas Rose'
Item #: 2192
Zones: 7a to 9b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 8" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $23.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Selaginella apoda
Item #: 7655
Zones: 5a to 9b, guessing
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 2" 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 -
Selaginella borealis
Item #: 5120
Zones: 3a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 2" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Japan
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $20.80Regular priceUnit price per$26.00Sale price $20.80Sale
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.