Deer Resistant Plants

Aeonium

Dramatic rosettes on woody stems. 'Zwartkop' variety has near-black leaves. Stunning in containers.

Agastache

Licorice-scented foliage and tubular orange-pink flowers that hummingbirds and butterflies find irresistible. Thrives on neglect.

Ajuga

Bronze-purple foliage with blue spikes. Fills bare shade in one season.

Allium

Dramatic globe-shaped heads on tall stems. Architectural and deer-proof.

American Gold Rush Black-Eyed Susan

Narrow, fuzzy foliage resists the leaf spot that plagues Goldsturm. A worthy upgrade.

Angelina Sedum

Chartreuse needle-like foliage turns golden orange in fall. Tiny yellow flowers are a bonus.

Anise Hyssop

Lavender-blue spikes with licorice-scented foliage. A pollinator powerhouse that blooms for months.

Arnold Promise Witch Hazel

Spidery yellow flowers with sweet fragrance on bare branches in late winter. The earliest tree to bloom.

Asiatic Lily

Upward-facing blooms in a wide range of vivid colors. Easy to grow and brilliant in the summer border.

Aster

The grand finale of the garden season. Essential for fall pollinators.

Astilbe

Feathery plumes that light up shady, moist spots like nothing else can.

Aubrieta

Purple cascades spilling over walls and rocks in spring. Shear after bloom for a fresh flush of foliage.

Autumn Joy Sedum

Broccoli-like heads open pink and age to copper-bronze. Four-season interest, zero maintenance.

Basket-of-Gold

Bright golden-yellow cascades over walls and rock edges in spring. Cut back after flowering to stay tidy.

Bee Balm

Shaggy, crown-shaped flowers that hummingbirds fight over.

Bergenia

Bold rubbery leaves provide year-round structure and turn burgundy in winter. Early pink flowers arrive with the hellebores.

Beverly Sills Iris

Coral-pink blooms with a tangerine beard. Named for the opera star and just as elegant.

Bird of Paradise

Sculptural, crane-like flowers in orange and blue. Unmistakable.

Black-Eyed Susan

Golden prairie workhorse that lights up late summer meadows.

Blanket Flower

Fiery bicolor pinwheels that bloom nonstop in the worst heat and soil.

Bleeding Heart

Arching sprays of heart-shaped flowers for shady woodland gardens.

Blue False Indigo

Lupine-like spikes on a native that lives forever. Gets better with age.

Blue Fescue

Steel-blue tufted mound. Perfect edging or rock garden accent.

Bottlebrush Buckeye

Massive suckering shrub with foot-long white flower candles. Showpiece for large shade gardens.

Bowl of Beauty Peony

Hot pink outer petals cup a creamy center of narrow petaloids. Dramatic and unmistakable.

Bridal Veil Astilbe

Graceful cascading white plumes on dark stems. Luminous in a shady corner.

Brunnera

Clouds of tiny forget-me-not blue flowers over heart-shaped leaves. Thrives in dry shade once established.

Butterfly Bush

Long, arching flower wands that butterflies absolutely lose their minds over.

Butterfly Milkweed

Vivid orange-red flat-topped clusters that monarchs and swallowtails cannot resist. Drought-proof once established.

California Lilac

Electric blue flower clusters on an evergreen California native. Hummingbird and bee magnet.

California Poppy

Golden cups that carpet hillsides across the state. Closes at night and on cloudy days.

Camellia

Glossy evergreen with rose-like blooms in the depths of winter.

Campanula

Open, nodding bells in clear blue on tall graceful stems. Self-sows into refined cottage garden drifts.

Caradonna Salvia

Dark purple stems set this apart from every other salvia. Vertical, architectural, electric.

Cat's Meow Catmint

Tidy, dome-shaped habit that never flops open. Stays compact without shearing.

Catmint

Billowy lavender-blue haze that blooms all season if you shear it back.

Celosia

Flame-shaped or crested flowers in electric colors that dry beautifully. Heat lovers that thrive in summer.

Century Plant

Grows for decades, then sends up a massive flower stalk up to 20 feet tall before dying. Worth the wait.

Chaste Tree

Long lavender-blue spikes cover this heat-loving shrub all summer. One of the few shrubs that actually blooms in August.

Cheyenne Spirit Coneflower

A rainbow mix of coneflower colors from a single seed strain. Every plant is a surprise.

Chives

Cheerful purple pom-pom flowers on a kitchen staple. Edible blooms make any salad Instagram-worthy.

Cleome

Spider-flower with whisker-like stamens and airy blooms. Tall, dramatic annual that self-sows freely.

Cliffrose

Creamy white rose-like flowers with sweet fragrance and feathery seed plumes on a tough Rocky Mountain native.

Climbing Hydrangea

Slow to start but spectacular once established, covering shady walls with flat-topped white lacecap flowers and exfoliating bark.

Columbine

Delicate, spurred flowers that dance on wiry stems. Hummingbird favorite.

Coneflower

Tough prairie native with long bloom season and medicinal history.

Coral Aloe

Flat coral-orange rosettes produce vivid flower stalks in late winter. One of the hardiest aloes.

Coral Bells

Grown mostly for dramatic foliage, but the tiny bell flowers are a bonus.

Coral Honeysuckle

Non-invasive native honeysuckle with brilliant coral-red tubular flowers that hummingbirds hover at for months.

Creeping Phlox

Cascading sheets of spring color over walls and slopes. Evergreen mat.

Creeping Thyme

Fragrant, walkable ground cover. Bees love it, foot traffic can't kill it.

Crocosmia

Arching sprays of fiery red-orange that hummingbirds go crazy for. Sword-like foliage adds structure.

Crocus

One of the first signs of spring, pushing through snow with jewel-toned cups.

Culinary Sage

Spiky purple blooms above silver-green aromatic foliage. A kitchen herb that doubles as an ornamental.

Culver's Root

Tall tapering spires of tiny white flowers that bees mob. Vertical and elegant at the back of the border.

Daffodil

Cheerful trumpets that naturalize beautifully and return stronger each year.

Desert Marigold

Cheerful desert wildflower that blooms almost year-round in warm climates. Thrives on neglect.

Dianthus

Spicy-scented, fringed petals. One of the best edging plants there is.

Draba

Tiny alpine cushion plant smothered in bright yellow flowers in early spring. Perfect miniature scale.

Dragon's Blood Sedum

Creeping mat of burgundy-tinged foliage with starry red flowers. Turns deep red in fall.

Dutchman's Breeches

Finely cut foliage and clusters of puffy white pantaloon-shaped flowers in early spring. A charming ephemeral that disappears by summer.

Dwarf Crested Iris

Tiny lavender-blue iris flowers with gold crests on a spreading native ground cover. A spring woodland treasure.

Dwarf Korean Lilac

Slow-growing dwarf with dense rounded habit. Perfect for small gardens and foundation plantings.

Echeveria

Perfect rosettes in blue, green, pink, and purple. Bell-shaped flowers on arching stems. Frost-tender.

Elliott's Bluestar

Pale blue starry flowers in spring give way to feathery foliage that turns brilliant gold in fall. Two seasons of beauty for zero effort.

Emily McKenzie Crocosmia

Bold orange blooms with red throats appear on graceful arching stems in late summer.

Epimedium

Delicate fairy-wing flowers above leathery foliage. One of the toughest dry shade groundcovers.

False Sunflower

Cheerful golden-yellow daisies that bloom for months on a tough native perennial. The sunniest, most reliable workhorse in the border.

Fanal Astilbe

The deepest garnet-red of any astilbe. Dark bronze foliage makes those plumes glow.

Festiva Maxima Peony

Pure white double blooms flecked with crimson at the center. Beloved since 1851 and still unmatched.

Feverfew

Clusters of small white daisies that bloom for weeks. Historic medicinal herb that self-sows readily.

Firecracker Penstemon

Spikes of scarlet tubular flowers that hummingbirds fight over. Southwestern native at its finest.

Flame Azalea

Outrageous blooms in hot orange, red, and yellow on a deciduous native azalea that stops people in their tracks.

Forsythia

A wall of golden yellow on bare branches. Spring's loudest announcement.

Fothergilla

Fragrant white bottlebrush flowers in spring give way to some of the best orange-red fall color of any small native shrub.

Fountain Grass

Arching, bottlebrush plumes that catch the light. Movement in the garden.

Foxglove

Stately spires of spotted, bell-shaped flowers. Cottage garden royalty.

Fringe Tree

Clouds of white fringed petals dripping from branches in late spring. Fragrant and underused native.

Fritillaria

Checkered, nodding bells with an otherworldly pattern. A collector's favorite.

Giant Coneflower

Towering stems with dramatically elongated cones rise above huge blue-green paddle leaves. An architectural native that commands attention.

Globe Thistle

Perfectly spherical steel-blue globes on white stems that dry to perfection. Bees are absolutely obsessed.

Glory-of-the-Snow

Star-shaped blooms that appear as snow melts. Naturalizes into drifts.

Goatsbeard

Giant creamy plumes like an astilbe on steroids. Native woodland giant that anchors a shade border.

Goldenrod

Wrongly blamed for allergies. A vital late-season pollinator magnet.

Goldsturm Black-Eyed Susan

The gold standard rudbeckia. Uniform, floriferous, and utterly reliable in any soil.

Grape Hyacinth

Tiny grape-like clusters that spread into rivers of blue over time.

Great Blue Lobelia

Intense blue flower spikes that hummingbirds and bumblebees fight over in late summer. The bolder, taller cousin of cardinal flower.

Green-and-Gold

Bright yellow star flowers appear for months above mat-forming foliage. The best spring ground cover for the Southeast.

Helenium

Warm-toned daisy-like flowers with raised centers bloom as summer turns to fall. Loves moist soil.

Hellebore

The Lenten Rose. Elegant nodding blooms that thrive in deep shade.

Hens and Chicks

Tight rosettes that multiply by producing offsets. The mother plant flowers once, then dies, replaced by chicks.

Hidcote Lavender

Compact and intensely dark purple. The standard against which all other lavenders are measured.

Honeysuckle

Tubular, nectar-rich flowers with a fragrance that defines summer evenings.

Hot Papaya Coneflower

Fiery double blooms like tiny orange dahlias on a coneflower. A showstopper that earns every bit of the hype.

Husker Red Penstemon

Dramatic burgundy-red foliage all season with white tubular flowers in late spring. The most striking native penstemon for gardens.

Hyacinth

Dense, intensely fragrant spikes. One bulb can perfume an entire room.

Ice Follies Daffodil

White petals frame a wide, ruffled cup that opens yellow and fades to cream. Multiplies fast.

Ice Plant

Neon-bright daisy flowers that shimmer in the sun over succulent foliage. Thrives in hot, dry rock gardens.

Immortality Iris

Reliable rebloomer with pure white ruffled falls. Blooms spring, then again in fall.

Indian Summer Rudbeckia

Massive 6-9 inch golden daisies on a short-lived plant. Bigger and bolder than perennial black-eyed susans.

Iris

Elegant sword-leaved perennials with intricate, ruffled blooms.

Jack-in-the-Pulpit

Hooded green-and-brown striped spathe sheltering a hidden spadix. Woodland curiosity followed by red berries.

Japanese Anemone

Graceful, swaying blooms on tall stems. Elegant in partial shade.

Japanese Iris

Huge, flat, ruffled blooms up to 10 inches across. Needs consistent moisture, especially during bloom.

Japanese Maple

Small flowers are modest but foliage is the star. Hundreds of cultivars from laceleaf to upright. The connoisseur's tree.

Japanese Painted Fern

Silver and burgundy fronds unlike any other fern. Foliage plant that earns its keep on color alone.

Kerria

Cheerful golden-yellow pompoms on bright green stems that stay vivid green all winter. One of the easiest shade-tolerant shrubs.

King Alfred Daffodil

The classic golden trumpet daffodil. Naturalizes into massive sweeps that return for decades.

Lantana

Multi-colored flower clusters that bloom relentlessly in brutal heat.

Lavender

Fragrant silver-green mounds beloved by bees and humans alike.

Lenten Rose

Nodding flowers in late winter when nothing else is blooming. Evergreen foliage adds year-round structure to shade gardens.

Lewisia

Succulent rosettes with brilliant striped flowers in hot sunset colors. Must have perfect drainage or it rots.

Liatris

Blazing star. Spikes that bloom unusually from top to bottom.

Ligularia

Bold, dinner-plate leaves with daisy-like flowers. Loves wet feet and will wilt dramatically if dry.

Lilac

Intensely fragrant clusters that define spring in northern gardens.

Lily-of-the-Valley

Tiny bell-shaped flowers with one of the most intoxicating fragrances in the plant world. Spreads into lush carpets under trees.

Lungwort

Flowers open pink and turn blue on the same stem. Silver-spotted foliage looks great all season.

Magnus Coneflower

The gold standard coneflower. Flat, non-drooping petals around a bold copper cone. Perennial Plant of the Year.

Maiden Grass

Narrow arching foliage creates elegant vase shapes topped with coppery pink plumes in fall.

Manzanita

Smooth red bark with urn-shaped flowers that feed hummingbirds in late winter. Sculptural beauty.

Marigold

Bulletproof color all season long. The workhorse of warm-toned borders.

Masterwort

Intricate pincushion flowers surrounded by papery bracts in soft pinks and whites. Beloved by florists and shade gardeners alike.

Matilija Poppy

Enormous fried-egg flowers on blue-gray stems. California's largest native wildflower. Spreads aggressively.

May Night Salvia

Perennial Plant of the Year. Dense indigo-violet spikes that rebloom if deadheaded.

Meadow Rue

Fluffy puffs of bloom on tall, airy stems above columbine-like foliage. Light and ethereal.

Mexican Feather Grass

Gossamer fine blades ripple in the slightest breeze like living silk. Plant where you can watch it move.

Miscanthus

Tall, graceful plumes that persist through winter. Living architecture.

Miss Kim Lilac

Compact lilac with pale lavender blooms and outstanding fragrance. Burgundy fall foliage as a bonus.

Monkshood

Deep indigo-blue hooded flowers on tall spikes in late summer. One of the few genuinely blue flowers that grows in shade.

Morning Light Miscanthus

Fine white-edged foliage shimmers in morning light, then silver plumes arch above in fall.

Mountain Bluebell

Sky-blue bell flowers on tall arching stems along mountain streams. The showy western cousin of Virginia Bluebell.

Mountain Laurel

Exquisite geometric buds open to cupped flowers. A native evergreen gem.

Munstead Lavender

Earlier blooming and slightly softer purple than Hidcote. Gertrude Jekyll's favorite for a reason.

Native Witch Hazel

Spidery yellow flowers and intoxicating clove fragrance on bare branches in late fall. The last native shrub to bloom each year.

Ninebark

Peeling bark, burgundy foliage, and white puffs. A native multitasker.

Nootka Rose

Single, apple-pink blooms followed by large rose hips that persist through winter on a vigorous Pacific Northwest native.

Northern Sea Oats

Flat seed heads dangle from arching stems and dance in the slightest wind. The best native grass for shade.

Northwind Switchgrass

Stiffly upright blue-green foliage that never flops. The most architectural switchgrass available.

Oakleaf Hydrangea

Oak-shaped leaves turn burgundy in fall. White cone blooms age to pink. Four-season native shrub.

Obedient Plant

Spikes of snapdragon-like flowers that can be pushed and stay where moved, earning a very literal common name.

Oceanspray

Cascading creamy white plumes on arching branches. Western Washington's summer answer to a native bridal veil.

Oregano

Tiny flowers are a pollinator magnet when allowed to bloom. Let a patch go to flower for the bees.

Oregon Grape

Holly-like evergreen with yellow flower clusters followed by blue berries. Tough, shade-loving native.

Oregon Iris

Small purple iris flowers with yellow signals on wiry stems. A tough, underappreciated Pacific Northwest native.

Oriental Lily

Huge, intensely fragrant blooms in deep pink and white that perfume the entire garden. The lily that defines summer.

Ostrich Fern

Tall vase-shaped fronds that unfurl from fiddleheads in spring. Spreads to form dramatic colonies.

Pacific Bleeding Heart

Western native that blooms much longer than its eastern cousin. Ferny foliage all season.

Pelargonium

The classic window-box geranium. Ball-shaped flower clusters above scalloped leaves. Tough container staple.

Penstemon

Tubular flowers on upright stems. Native hummingbird magnet for dry gardens.

Peony

Lush, ruffled blooms with intoxicating fragrance. Lives for decades.

Phenomenal Lavender

Survives humidity and cold that kills other lavenders. Silver foliage stays tight and full.

Piedmont Azalea

Fragrant pale pink to white flowers open before the leaves in early spring, filling lowland forests with sweetness.

Pieris

Chains of lily-of-the-valley flowers dangle over colorful new growth. Year-round structure for shady borders.

Plumleaf Azalea

The only azalea that blooms in midsummer, with fiery orange-red flowers that light up the late-season shade garden.

Powwow Wild Berry Coneflower

Deep rose-purple petals and a bronzy cone on a compact reblooming plant that won't sprawl.

PowWow Wild Berry Coneflower

Compact, heavily branched, and smothered in deep rose-purple blooms. Reblooms without deadheading.

Prairie Sky Switchgrass

The bluest foliage of any switchgrass, with airy pink seed clouds drifting above in late summer.

Purple Fountain Grass

Burgundy foliage topped with fuzzy rose-colored plumes. Stunning in containers where it's treated as an annual in cold climates.

Red Flowering Currant

Among the first shrubs to bloom in Pacific Northwest gardens, dripping with rosy-pink racemes that hummingbirds arrive for before anything else has opened.

Red Hot Poker

Torch-like spikes in fire-orange and yellow that hummingbirds zoom straight to. Bold and unforgettable.

Rhododendron

Big, bold trusses of bloom over glossy evergreen foliage.

Rocky Mountain Penstemon

Spikes of deep blue tubular flowers rise above glossy evergreen foliage in early summer.

Rodgersia

Huge textured leaves resembling horse chestnuts with fluffy plumes. Architectural shade statement.

Rosemary

Aromatic evergreen herb with tiny blue flowers loved by early bees. Needs excellent drainage.

Rozanne Geranium

Violet-blue saucer flowers on a sprawling mound that blooms from late spring until frost. The most awarded perennial geranium in history.

Russian Sage

Airy lavender clouds on silver stems. Thrives in heat and poor soil.

Salal

Leathery evergreen groundcover of Pacific Northwest forests. Urn-shaped flowers lead to edible berries.

Salvia

Vertical flower spikes that hummingbirds and bees cannot resist.

Sarah Bernhardt Peony

Fully double, apple-blossom pink blooms so heavy they nod on their stems. The most planted peony in history.

Saxifrage

Mossy cushions dotted with dainty flowers. Tucks into rock crevices where little else will grow.

Scilla

Carpets of brilliant blue that naturalize under trees with zero effort.

Sea Holly

Metallic blue bracts and cones turn the whole plant a vivid silvery-blue. Otherworldly and completely drought-proof.

Sea Thrift

Grassy tufts topped with round pink pom-poms. Loves lean soil and coastal conditions.

Sedum

Succulent leaves, tough as nails. Ages to deep crimson in autumn.

Shasta Daisy

Classic white-and-gold daisies that look fresh from a meadow painting.

Shenandoah Switchgrass

Compact selection that turns vivid burgundy-red in late summer earlier than any other switchgrass.

Showy Goldenrod

Upright spikes of bright yellow flowers feed late-season pollinators on dry prairies.

Sideoats Grama

Seed heads hang like tiny flags along one side of the stem on this graceful, drought-tolerant prairie native.

Smoke Tree

Airy pink flower plumes create a smoke-like haze around the canopy. 'Royal Purple' has burgundy foliage.

Snowdrop

Delicate nodding bells that bloom fearlessly in late winter cold.

Solomon's Seal

Arching stems hung with dangling white bells. Pairs of leaves create graceful, layered architecture.

Speedwell

Tidy spikes of blue that add vertical punch to the front of the border.

Spicebush

Clusters of tiny yellow flowers appear on bare branches in early spring on a fragrant native shrub with blazing yellow fall color.

Spirea

Flat-topped flower clusters on tidy mounds. The easiest flowering shrub.

Stella de Oro Daylily

The most planted perennial in America. Compact, reblooming, and basically indestructible.

Stewartia

Camellia-like white flowers, exfoliating bark, and crimson fall color. The four-season tree professionals love.

Sulphur Flower

Sulfur-yellow flower clusters on a silvery-leaved cushion plant. One of the toughest and prettiest natives of the Mountain West.

Summersweet Clethra

Spikes of intensely sweet-scented white flowers in midsummer, one of the best fragrant natives for shady spots.

Swamp Rose

Clear pink single blooms on a native rose that thrives in wet spots, ditch edges, and rain gardens where other roses would drown.

Switchgrass

Upright native grass with airy seed heads. Gold and red fall color.

Tall Verbena

Wiry stems topped with purple clusters that butterflies can't resist. See-through plant for layering.

Thalia Daffodil

Pure white, swept-back petals with two to three blooms per stem. Orchid-like elegance.

Thread-Leaf Coreopsis

Thread-fine foliage and masses of tiny yellow stars bloom for months with zero effort. A perennial you can actually neglect.

Tickseed

Cheerful native daisy that blooms for months with almost no care.

Toad Lily

Orchid-like spotted flowers when everything else is done. A late-season shade garden gem.

Trillium

Three leaves, three petals, pure elegance. The jewel of eastern woodlands.

Trumpet Gentian

Intense, almost electric blue trumpet flowers on a low mat. The holy grail of alpine gardeners.

Tufted Hair Grass

Airy gold-green flower clouds hover above dark evergreen tufts. One of the few grasses that thrives in moist shade.

Turk's Cap

Nodding red hibiscus flowers that never fully open are pure hummingbird candy across the Gulf South.

Turtlehead

Snapdragon-like flowers shaped exactly like a turtle's head. Loves wet feet.

Twinspike Coral Bells

Warm amber-caramel foliage that glows in the shade garden all season. The flowers are just a bonus.

Viburnum

Fragrant snowball clusters in spring, then berries for birds in fall.

Vinca

Evergreen mat with periwinkle-blue flowers. Tough shade ground cover.

Vintage Wine Coneflower

Wine-purple petals that age to rose on a robust, well-branched plant. One of the most floriferous echinacea you can grow.

Virginia Bluebell

Woodland ephemeral with sky-blue bells. Disappears by summer, returns faithfully.

Visions in Pink Astilbe

Compact and more drought-tolerant than most astilbes. Dense, rosy-pink plumes.

Walker's Low Catmint

Perennial Plant of the Year. Billowy lavender-blue spikes that rebloom hard after a shear.

Western Red Columbine

Scarlet and yellow spurred flowers that hummingbirds follow through the Pacific Northwest's mountain meadows.

White Prairie Clover

Cylindrical white flower spikes with orange anthers on a delicate, drought-proof prairie native that feeds bees all summer.

White Swan Coneflower

Pure white drooping petals around a bronze-orange cone. Elegant and underused.

White Wild Indigo

Luminous white lupin-like spikes on a structural native that's practically indestructible and improves with every year.

Wild Azalea

Sweetly fragrant pinwheel flowers on a deciduous native azalea that grows from New England to Georgia. Earlier and more cold-hardy than most.

Wild Bergamot

The wild cousin of bee balm. Lavender puffs alive with pollinators. Tougher and more mildew-resistant.

Wild Blue Phlox

Loose clusters of sky-blue flowers float above woodland floors in spring on a fragrant, mat-forming native.

Wild Columbine

Nodding red-and-yellow spurred flowers that hummingbirds love on a self-sowing native that naturalizes along woodland edges.

Wild Geranium

Soft pink blooms over deeply-cut foliage. A woodland edge staple.

Winter Aconite

Buttercup-yellow blooms that push through frozen ground before the crocuses.

Witch Hazel

Spidery, fragrant blooms on bare branches when nothing else dares.

Yarrow

Flat-topped clusters on ferny foliage. Thrives on neglect in poor soil.

Yucca

Sword-like evergreen foliage sends up dramatic stalks of white bells. Tough, architectural, underrated.

Zebra Grass

Horizontal yellow bands cross the blades in a pattern unique among ornamental grasses. Bold and architectural.