If deer are starving, there are no perennial flowers that are completely deer proof. Looking through this chart of perennials that deer rarely damage, you will be pleased to find that there are many different species of perennials with a large variety of colors, sizes, and foliage types, for you to choose from. You will notice in the comments that many of these plants are toxic, have rough or bitter foliage, or a strong odor that repels deer. A deer proof garden may not be totally possible, but this is chart of deer resistant perennials, combined with our chart of deer resistant annuals you can have a beautiful flower garden or landscape. Some of these plants may be considered annuals in other states so be sure to also check the deer resistant annuals page and the deer resistant bulbs.
BOTANICAL NAME | COMMON NAME | COMMENTS | ZONE OR STATE SOURCE |
Achillea millefolium | Yarrow | Bitter taste/aromatic | TX,CO,MD |
Aconitum species | Monkshood | NJ,MD | |
Agastache species | Anise Hyssop | NJ | |
Agave americana | Century Plant | POISONOUS | OR |
Allium species | Oranamental Onion | Also listed in bulbs | NJ |
Amsonia illustris | Showy Blue-Star | Coarse foliage | TX |
Anisacanthus wrightii | Flame Acanthus | Aromatic | TX |
| Anisodontea 'Taras Wonder' | Mini Mallow | Aromatic | TX |
| Apocynum androsaemilolium | Dogbane | Milky bitter sap | TX |
Aquilegia species | Columbine | MD,OR | |
Arabis caucasica | Rock-Cress | NJ | |
Argemone mexicana | Yellow Prickly Poppy | Toxic all parts/bitter taste | TX |
Argemone sanguinea | Rose Prickly Poppy | Prickly foliage | TX |
Argemone texana | White Prickly Poppy | Toxic all parts/bitter taste | TX |
Arisaema triphylum | Jack-in-the-pulpit | NJ | |
Armoracia rusticana | Horseradish | Stron odor and taste | NJ |
Artemisia dracunculus | Tarragon | Aromatic herb | NJ,MD,OR |
Artemisia ludoviciana | White Sage | Aromatic, fuzzy | TX,MD,OR |
Artemisa species | Silver Mound | NJ,MD,OR | |
Asarum canadense | Wild Ginger | NJ,MD | |
Asarum europaeum | European Ginger | NJ,MD | |
Asciepias linaria | Pineleaf Milkweed | Sticky sap | TX |
Asciepias sublata | Desert Milkweed | Sticky sap | TX |
Asclepias asperula | Antelope Horns | TX | |
Asclepias tuberosa | Butterfly Weed | Sticky sap | TX |
Asclepias virdii | Green Milkweed | Sticky sap | TX |
Astilbe spp. | Astilbe | Perennial | MD |
Aubretia deltoidea | Purple Rock-Cress | NJ | |
Aurinia saxatilis | Basket of Gold | NJ,MD | |
Baptisia australis | False Indigo | NJ,TX | |
Brugmansia spp. | Yellow Datura | Burning taste, | TX |
Bruneria macrophylla | Siberian Bugloss,Brunnera | NJ | |
Cactaceae species | Catus | Spiny | NJ |
Caesalpinia gilliesii | Bird of Paradise | Spiny | TX |
Caltha palustri | Windflower | Bitter taste, toxic | TX |
Campanula rotundifolia | Mountain harebell | CO | |
Cassia lindheimeriana | Lindheimer Senna | Toxic, Bitter taste | TX |
Cassia roemeriana | Two-Leaved Senna | Toxic | TX |
Centaurea melitensis | Tocalote Thistle | Prickly | TX |
Centaurea texanum | Texas Thistle | Prickly, Biennial | TX |
Centaurium beyrichii | Mountain Pink | Bad taste | TX |
| Ceratostigma plumbaginoides | Plumbago | Blue flowers | MD |
Cestrum nocturnum | Nigth Blooming Jasmine | Toxic all parts | TX |
Chrysanthemum mexicana | Damianita | Aromatic/Coarse foliage | TX |
Cimicifuga racemosa | Snakeroot | MD | |
Cichorium intybus | Chicory | Milky sap/bitter taste | TX |
Coreopsis verticillata | Threadleaf Coreopsis | NJ,MD | |
Corydalis species | Corydalis | NJ | |
Dalea greggii | Gregg Dalea | Aromatic | TX |
Datura innoxia | Datura | Toxic | TX |
Datura metheioides | Datura | Toxic | TX |
Datura quercifolia | Datura | Toxic all parts | TX |
Datura wrightii | Datura/Jimsonweed | Toxic all parts | TX |
Daucus carota | Queen Anne's Lace | Rarely eaten | TX |
Delphinium carolinianum | Blue Larkspur | Toxic all parts | TX,MD,OR |
Dicentra eximia | Fringed Bleeding Heart | NJ | |
Dicentra spectabilis | Bleeding Heart | NJ,TX | |
Digitalis purpurea | Foxglove | Causes pain in throat | TX,OR |
Dyschoriste linearis | Snake Herb | Bitter taste | TX |
Echinacea purpurea | Purple Coneflower | Native | CO |
Echinops ritro | Small Globe Thistle | Spiny foliage | NJ |
Equisetum arvense | Horsetail | Toxic all parts | TX |
Erygium heterophyllum | Mexican Thistle | Coarse foliage | TX |
Erygium leavenworthii | Eryngo | Coarse foliage | TX |
Eupatorium perforlifum | Joe-Pye Weed | Toxic all parts | TX |
Eupatorium rugosum | White Snakeroot | Toxic all parts | TX |
Euphorbia species | Spurge | Except Chameleon | NJ |
Europs species | Daisy Bush | Aromatic | TX |
Gaillardia aristata | Gaillardia/Blanketflower | Native in Midwest | CO |
Grindelia lanceolata | Fall Gumweed | Sticky to touch | TX |
Gutierezia sarothrea | Snakeweed | Toxic all parts/turpine odor | TX |
Helianthus angustifolius | Swamp Sunflower | Toxic | TX |
Heliotropium amarum | Bitterweed | Yellow-Ox-eye | TX |
Helleborus sp. | Lenton/Christmas Rose | Winter blooming | NJ,MD,OR |
Hesperis matronalis | Dame's Rocket | NJ,MD | |
Heterotheca latifolia | Golden Aster | Aromatic/camphor odor | TX |
Hymenoxys scaposa | Four-Nerve Daisy | Bitter taste/aromatic | TX |
Hypericum species | St. John's Wort | Calming effect if eaten | MD |
Hyssopus officinalis | Hyssop | NJ | |
Iris species | Iris | May eat buds | NJ |
Kniphofia species | Red Hot Poker | Spiky foliage | MD,OR |
Lantana camara | Lantana | Aromatic | TX,MD |
Lantana horrida | Texas Lantana | Toxic/Coarse foliage | TX,MD |
Lavandula species | Lavendar | Aromatic | NJ,CO,MD |
Liatris punctata | Gayflower | CO | |
Ligularia dentata | Bigleaf Goldenray | NJ | |
Ligularea 'The Rocket' | Rocket Ligularia | NJ | |
Limonium latifolium | Statice | NJ | |
Linaria vulgaris | Butter and Eggs | NJ,MD | |
Lipidium montanum | Western Peppergrass | Aromatic Pepper Odor | TX |
Lobelia cardinalis | Cardinal Flower | Toxic all parts/Bitter taste | TX,MD |
Lychnis coronaria | Rose Campion | NJ | |
Majorana | Marjoram | NJ | |
Marrubium vulgare | Horehound | Strong taste | NJ |
Melampodium leucanthum | Black-Foot Daisy | TX | |
Melissa officinalis | Lemon Balm | NJ | |
Mentha species | Mint | Strong mint flavor and smell | NJ,MD |
Monardia citriodora | Lemon Beebalm | Aromatic/Citronella taste | TX |
Myosotis species | Forget-Me-Not | NJ | |
Nepeta species | Catmint | Aromatic | NJ,MD |
Nyctagina capitata | Scarlet Musk Flower | Aromatic | TX |
Oreganum species | Oregano | Aromatic | NJ,TX |
Oxytropis lambertii | Locoweed | Toxic all parts | TX |
Paeonia species | Peony | May eat buds | NJ |
Papaver nudicaule | Iceland Poppy | Toxic all parts | TX,MD |
Perovskio atriplicifolia | Russian Sage | Aromatic | NJ,TX,CO |
Phlomis species | Greek Jerusalem Sage | Aromatic | NJ,TX |
Phystegia intermedia | Spring Obedient Plant | Aromatic | TX |
Phystegia virginia | Fall Obedient Plant | Aromatic | TX |
Picradeniopsis spp. | Bahia | Bitter taste | TX |
Plumbago auriculata | Cape Plumbago | TX | |
Podophyllum | May Apple | NJ | |
Poliomintha longifolia | Mexican Oregano | Aromatic | TX |
Potentilla species | Potentilla,Cinquefoil | NJ,MD | |
Psilstrphe tagetina | Wooly Paper Flower | Toxic all parts | TX |
Psoralea tenuiflora | Scurfy Pea | TX | |
Pulmonaria species | Lungwort | NJ | |
Quincula lobata | Purple Ground Cherry | Toxic all parts | TX |
Ranunculus species | Buttercup | NJ | |
Rodgersia species | Rodgers Flower | NJ | |
Rudbeckia lacinata | Goldenglow | Causes pain if eaten | TX,CO |
Ruta species | Rue | NJ | |
Salvia azurea v. pitcherii | Pitcher Sage | Aromatic | TX |
Salvia ballotaeflora | Blue Shrub Sage | Aromatic | TX |
Salvia chamaedryoides | Gray Shrub Sage | Aromatic | TX |
Salvia coccinea | Tropical Sage | Aromatic | TX |
Salvia discolor | Silver Peruvian Sage | Aromatic | TX |
Salvia farinacea | Mealy Blue Sage | Aromatic | TX |
Salvia greggii x lyciodes | Nuevo Leon Sage | Aromatic | TX |
Salvia greggii x microphylia | Red Velvet Sage | Aromatic | TX |
Salvia greggii | Cherry Sage | Aromatic | TX |
Salvia guaranitica | Magestic Sage | Aromatic | TX |
Salvia leucantha | Mexican Bush Sage | Aromatic | TX |
Salvia longispica farinacea | Indigo Spires Sage | Aromatic | TX |
Salvia lycioides | Canyon Sage | Aromatic | TX |
Salvia lyrata | Lyre-Leaf Sage | Aromatic | TX |
Salvia officinalis | Garden Sage | Aromatic | NJ |
Salvia regla | Mountain Sage | Aromatic | TX |
Salvia roemeriana | Cedar Sage | Aromatic | TX |
Salvia uliginosa | Bog Sage | Aromatic | TX |
| Santolina chamaecyparissus | Lavender-Cotton | Aromatic | NJ,TX,MD |
Santolina virens | Santolina | Aromatic | TX,MD |
Saponaria officinalis | Bouncing Bet | Bitter soap-like taste | TX |
Stachys byzantina | Lamb's Ear | Fuzzy leaves | NJ,MD |
Stachys coccinea | Texas Betony | Aromatic | TX |
Tagetes lemmonii | Copper Canyon Daisy | Aromatic | TX |
Tagetes lucida | Mexican Marigold | Aromatic | TX |
Tanacetum vulgare | Common Tansy | Toxic all parts/Aromatic | NJ,TX,MD |
Teucrium chamaedrys | Germander | Aromatic | NJ |
Thalictrum species | Meadow Rue | NJ | |
Thymus species | Thyme | Aromatic | NJ,CO,MD |
Tiarella species | Foamflower | MD | |
Verbesina virginia | Frostweed | TX,MD | |
Vigiera denata | Golden-eye | Musky odor | TX |
Yucca filimentosa | Yucca | Sharp blades | NJ,MD |
| Xanthocephalum dracunculiodes | Common Broomweed | TX | |
Zantedeschia species | Calla Lilly | OR | |
Zauschneria sp. | California fushia | CO,OR |