Deer Resistant Plants

Deer Resistant Plants

We’ve been asked a few times about deer-resistant plants, and we’ve done some research and have compiled the below list sorted by sun requirements.

To assemble the document we cross-referenced from different sources that report these native plants as being deer resistant.  Sources include personal experiences from prairie restorationists, Prairie Moon Nursery, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center’s Special Collections pages: (http://www.wildflower.org/collections/collection.php?collection=deer), Morton Arboretum: (http://m.extension.illinois.edu/wildlife/files/plants_deer_avoid.pdf)

A very helpful page is http://www.wildoneslansing.org/uploads/9/8/9/0/9890611/deer_resistant_native_plants_for_mid-michigan_5_7_14.pdf

Unless noted, soil conditions are assumed to be typical garden soil here in the Chicago area–clay/loam which tends to hold onto moisture but still drain.  Plants in the full sun group can generally take part sun too, and those in the shade group can likewise take part sun.  To determine correct plants for your site, further research should be done.  Many of our sources warn that hungry deer in the spring are less discriminate about their meals then.  Just as a note, not all deer resistant plants are rabbit resistant.

Let us know if you have a plant that deer seem to avoid in your garden, and it’s not listed here.  We’ll add it.

Full Sun Plants

Part Sun

Shade