Planting deer repelling plants can be a natural line of defense with little or no maintenance. A boxwood hege might not stop deer completely if they are hungry, but if there are neighborhing plants it might be enough to choose another landscape.
What if you could plant flowers and other plants that not only the deer don't eat, but actually repel the deer. Many of these plants have a scent that keeps the deer away or contain a chemical that deer know is poisonous. If deer in the area are desperate enough they could eat some of these plants but they should be the last choice.
Here is a list of 40 deer repelling plants that are known to repel deer: Some are annuals, perennials, and shrubs. Some are evergreen. By mixing them up you will be able to have repellent plants working for you year-around.
- Alliums (ornamental onions)
- Artemisia (wormwood)
- Asarum (wild ginger)
- Astilbe
- Boxwood
- Cactus
- Calendula (pot marigold)
- Catmint
- Chrysanthemums (mums)
- Daffodils
- Datura (jimsonweed or devil's trumpet)
- Delphinium
- Echinacea (coneflower)
- Epimedium
- Euphorbia (spurge)
- Ferns
- Gaillardia (blanket flower)
- Geraniums
- Gloriosa daisy
- Hellebores
- Hostas
- Iris
- Lavender
- Lilacs
- Liriope
- Lupine
- Monkshood
- Peonies
- Pinks (Dianthus)
- Poppies
- Salvia (sage)
- Santolina (cotton lavender)
- Scabiosa
- Sedum
- Shasta daisy
- Snow-on-the-mountain
- Soapwort
- Sweet woodruff
- Tulips
- Yarrow
It is important to note that these plants may not necessarily repel all deer, but they are known to be less attractive to deer and therefore may be less likely to be browsed. Also, keep in mind that a hungry deer may eat anything, so it is not a guarantee that these plants will be safe from deer browsing.
