Perennials That Deer Avoid in the Garden
Try these plants in deer country
No plant is 100-percent deer resistant, but deer generally avoid plants with certain features, like fragrant or fuzzy foliage. Of course, your local deer population will have its own preferences, but here are some perennials that I've grown with little to no problems in my Wisconsin garden:
BLEEDING HEARTS
Bleeding hearts (Lamprocapnos spectabilis; USDA Zones 3–9) may be old-fashioned, but they're a great choice if you have deer problems. The common bleeding heart is beautiful, although it goes dormant in summer, so it will need companions that can fill the gap.
There are related species that stay present, including the native North American fernleaf bleeding heart (Dicentra eximia; Zones 3–9), a tough plant with delicate, deeply lobed foliage that indeed resembles that of a fern. And that's not all! Their small pink blooms emerge in spring and continue into midsummer or even fall in cooler regions. 'Luxuriant' is an improved cultivar with blue-green foliage and better heat tolerance than the species.
Bleeding hearts need even moisture, good drainage and a spot that receives some shade, preferably in the afternoon. If happy, the fernleaf bleeding heart may spread by seed.
CATMINTS
Catmint (Nepeta) proves true to its name with minty-scented foliage. The fragrance is an excellent defense against deer. Summer-long purple flowers offer a colorful bonus. You can increase its reblooming power with a light shearing as the initial wave of flowers fades.
Vigorous N. racemosa 'Walker’s Low' (Zones 4–8) remains the favorite catmint for filling a larger space, but recent years have seen several new cultivars that are more compact. Look for the 20-inch N. faassenii 'Cat's Meow' or 12-inch 'Cat's Pajamas' (both Zones 3–8) for placement at the front of the border.
Catmints are sun lovers that need sharp drainage and low to moderate water. To keep them growing and blooming well, divide them every few years.
'SUN KING' ARALIA
Named Perennial Plant of the Year in 2020, golden Japanese spikenard (Aralia cordata 'Sun King'; Zones 4–8) continues to gain popularity, for good reason. The bright chartreuse leaves pop in shaded areas, and the rough feel of its foliage discourages deer. This perennial takes a while to emerge in spring, but it quickly creates a shrub-like presence in the summer garden, growing three to six feet tall and wide.
‘Sun King’ prefers partial shade and moist, fertile soil. In full shade it may lose its gold-green color and look a plainer green.
ORNAMENTAL ALLIUMS
Durable in many ways, alliums are a boon in gardens with sandy soil or deer, which usually turn from their onion-like scent. The large-flowering bulbs like 'Globemaster' or 'Purple Sensation' (both Zones 4–9) give a burst of early summer color and then fade away. These bulbs should be planted in fall, in a spot with full sun and excellent drainage.
Fibrous-rooted, clump-forming alliums offer lots of purple blooms in late summer and dense, lustrous foliage from spring to fall. Some excellent cultivars among these later-blooming allium include 'Lavender Bubbles' (Zones 4–8), 'Millenium' and 'Windy City' (both Zones 5–8). Clumping alliums can be planted any time during the growing season, in full sun and average soil. Once established they tolerate drought.
ORNAMENTAL GRASSES
I’ve seen deer eat turfgrass, but they never touch my ornamental grasses—a good thing because these plants add much value to the garden, especially in late summer and fall. The options of size, shape and color can seem endless.
I like to recommend prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepsis; Zones 3–9), for its dwarf habit and sprays of tan blooms that float above the foliage in late summer; and the switchgrasses ‘Heavy Metal’, ‘Shenandoah’ and ‘Cheyenne Sky’ (cultivars of Panicum virgatum; Zones 4–9), all medium-sized plants with intense fall color.
Related: Read more about prairie dropseed and switchgrass in “Two North American Alternatives to Invasive Ornamental Grasses.”
What deer in one area don’t touch, deer in another locale may partake of. Much depends on the availability of more preferred foods and the amount of competition. I can attest, though, that the above perennials have proven unappetizing to the deer near me in the Great Lakes region.
Image credits: Fernleaf bleeding heart by Patrick Standish/CC BY 2.0; 'Cat's Pajamas' catmint, 'Sun King' aralia, 'Lavender Bubbles' allium, 'Gone With the Wind' prairie dropseed and 'Cheyenne Sky' switchgrass courtesy of Walters Gardens
