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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Sold outAsclepias perennis
Item #: 11648
Zones: 6b to 9b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 24" 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 -
Sold outAsclepias purpurascens
Item #: 12659
Zones: 3a to 9b
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
Next crop available: 10/23/2026Sold out -
Sold outAsclepias tuberosa
Item #: 335
Zones: 3a to 9b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Asclepias tuberosa 'Hello Yellow'
Item #: 6700
Zones: 4a to 9b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 20" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Asparagus cochinchinensis 'Graham's Cracker'
Item #: 2154
Zones: 5a to 10b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 15" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Cambodia, China, Japan, Korea, Laos, Philippines, Taiwan, Tibet, Vietnam
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $24.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Asparagus setaceus 'Lowestoffe'
Item #: 8648
Zones: 7b to 10b, possibly colder
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 96" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: South Africa
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $24.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Sold outAsparagus tenuifolius 'Vodice'
Item #: 18109
Zones: 5a to 10b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Albania, Austria, Balkans, Bulgaria, France, Greece, Italy, Romania, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $25.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Sold outAsparagus virgatus
Item #: 4033
Zones: 7b to 10b, possibly colder
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 36" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: South Africa
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $25.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Aspidistra elatior 'Asahi'
Item #: 2538
Zones: 7a to 10b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 30" tall
Culture: Light Shade to Shade
Origin: China, Japan
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $34.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Aspidistra elatior 'Fuji-No-Mine'
Item #: 7064
Zones: 7b to 10b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 36" tall
Culture: Light Shade to Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $29.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Sold outAspidistra elatior 'Mangetsu'
Item #: 15296
Zones: 7b to 10b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 30" tall
Culture: Light Shade to Shade
Origin: China, Japan
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $29.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Sold outAspidistra elatior 'Okame'
Item #: 2314
Zones: 7b to 10b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 30" tall
Culture: Light Shade to Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $34.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Aspidistra elatior 'Sekko Kan'
Item #: 7519
Zones: 7b to 10b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 30" tall
Culture: Light Shade to Shade
Origin: China, Japan
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $34.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Aspidistra elatior 'Stars and Stripes'
Item #: 7522
Zones: 7b to 10b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 36" tall
Culture: Light Shade to Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $32.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Sold outAspidistra 'Hanado Raku' PP 36,855
Item #: 14894
Zones: 8b to 10b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 26" tall
Culture: Light Shade to Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $35.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Aspidistra minutiflora 'Leopard'
Item #: 2117
Zones: 8a to 10b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 30" tall
Culture: Light Shade to Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $27.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Aspidistra oblanceifolia 'Nagoya Stars'
Item #: 8431
Zones: 7b to 10b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 30" tall
Culture: Light Shade to Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $27.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Sold outAspidistra pulchella 'Stretch Marks'
Item #: 7059
Zones: 9a to 10b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Light Shade to Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $27.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Aspidistra quadripartita 'Giraffe'
Item #: 16162
Zones: 9a to 10b, possibly colder
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Light Shade to Shade
Origin: China, Hong Kong
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $24.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Aspidistra sichuanensis 'Clouded Leopard'
Item #: 14893
Zones: 7b to 9b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 22" tall
Culture: Light Shade to Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $29.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Aspidistra sichuanensis 'Spek-tacular'
Item #: 8593
Zones: 7b to 10b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 32" tall
Culture: Light Shade to Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $29.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Aspidistra sichuanensis 'Warp Drive'
Item #: 9923
Zones: 7b to 10b, guessing
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 26" tall
Culture: Light Shade to Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $29.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Aspidistra sichuanensis 'Yellow Hammer'
Item #: 1936
Zones: 7b to 10b, guessing
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 30" tall
Culture: Light Shade to Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $29.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Aspidistra subrotata 'Golden Shimmers'
Item #: 16073
Zones: 9a to 10b, guessing
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 20" tall
Culture: Light Shade to Shade
Origin: China, Thailand, Vietnam
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $27.00Regular priceUnit price per
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.