Top Deer-Resistant Plants of the Northwest

Stop deer from mowing down your yard with these tough plants.

Marty Ross

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Bellflower

Corydalis

Bigroot Geranium

Foxglove

Epimedium

Jerusalem Sage

Ligularia

Lupine

Meadow Rue

Mullein

Oregano

Pigsqueak

Yellow Waxbells

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Before you go through our plant list, be aware that there are few, if any, plants that can be called truly deer proof. Deer are maddening, complicated critters: The deer in your yard may avoid a specific plant, but the deer down the street may find that a favorite.

The plants you'll find in this slide show have proven deer resistant for many gardeners -- we hope they'll do the same for you.

Bellflower

There are hundreds of types of bellflower -- and each has its place in the garden. Most offer long bloom seasons with bell-shaped flowers in shades of blue, pink, or white. Some are great at the front of the border; others belong in the middle.

Plant Name: Campanula selections

Growing Conditions: Full sun or part shade and moist, well-drained soil

Size: From 6 inches to 4 feet tall and to 2 feet wide, depending on type

Zones: 3-9, depending on type

Click here to learn more about growing campanula

Corydalis

This perennial wins the prize for best bloomer; it starts bearing its clusters of golden-yellow flowers in early spring and continues nonstop all the way to frost. Its ferny, blue-green foliage is a delight, too -- but the deer don't seem to think so.

Plant Name: Corydalis lutea

Growing Conditions: Part shade and moist, well-drained soil

Size: To 18 inches tall and wide

Zones: 5-8, but it often comes back from seed as an annual in colder zones

Click here to learn more about corydalis

Bigroot Geranium

One of our favorite ground covers for shady sites, bigroot geranium offers woodsy-scented foliage and clusters of magenta, pink, or white flowers in early summer. It spreads nicely, without becoming invasive, to create a carpet of low-care color even in dry, shady sites.

Plant Name: Geranium macrorrhizum

Growing Conditions: Part to full shade and well-drained soil

Size: To 2 feet tall and wide

Zones: 4-8

Learn more about perennial geraniums.

Foxglove

You can usually count on foxglove to deter deer because it's poisonous. It is also beautiful with its tall spikes of pink, purple, cream, or white blooms in early summer. The most common foxgloves live for only two years, but if you let them drop seed, new plants will come back reliably for years to come.

Plant Name: Digitalis selections

Growing Conditions: Part shade to sun and moist, well-drained soil

Size: To 5 feet tall and 2 feet wide

Zones: 4-8, depending on type

Click here to learn more about growing foxglove

Epimedium

A favorite of just about every gardener who fights dry, shady conditions, epimedium is a knockout perennial with cute flowers (in shades of pink, red, orange, white, and yellow) and deer-resistant foliage. Many selections of this wonderfully easy ground cover are evergreen -- giving it an extra level of interest.

Plant Name: Epimedium selections

Growing Conditions: Shade and well-drained soil

Size: To 2 feet tall and wide

Zones: 4-9, depending on type

Click here to learn more about epimedium

Jerusalem Sage

This Mediterranean native offers fuzzy silver or green foliage and spikes of soft yellow blooms in summer. If the plant is happy, it can rebloom through fall -- so it's a great middle-of-the-border plant.

Plant Name: Phlomis russeliana

Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil

Size: To 3 feet tall and wide

Zones: 4-9

Ligularia

Ligularia is a top pick for the middle or back of the shady border. We love it for its dramatic foliage; each leaf may be more than a foot across so they lend the garden gorgeous texture. They have pretty spikes of yellow flowers in summer, too.

Here's a hint: Liguria likes moist soil. In dry or windy spots, it may look wilted much of the day.

Plant Name: Ligularia selections

Growing Conditions: Part shade and moist soil

Size: To 6 feet tall and 3 feet wide

Zones: 4-8

Learn more about ligularia.

Lupine

This pea relative offers colorful spikes of flowers though the first half of summer. It's a longtime favorite of cottage gardeners and a top pick to grow as a cut flower.

Plant Name: Lupinus selections

Growing Conditions: Full sun or part shade and well-drained soil

Size: To 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide

Zones: 4-8, depending on type

Click here to learn more about growing lupines

Meadow Rue

When you see the leaves, you may think meadow rue looks like a giant relative of its cousin, the columbine. Both are wonderfully deer resistant and offer attractive blue-green foliage. Meadow rue's blooms set it apart, though -- clouds of fluffy pink, purple, yellow, or white flowers float above the plant.

Plant Name: Thalictrum selections

Growing Conditions: Sun to shade, depending on selection, and moist, well-drained soil

Size: From 6 inches to 6 feet tall and 6 inches to 3 feet wide, depending on selection

Zones: 5-9

Learn more about meadow rue.

Mullein

Perfect cottage- or country-style garden plants, mulleins offer spikes of blooms in shades of pink, purple, white, and yellow throughout the summer. They're also pretty versatile; most do well in sun or shade.

Plant Name: Verbascum selections

Growing Conditions: Sun or shade and moist, well-drained soil

Size: Many common varieties grow to up 3 feet tall and 1 foot wide

Zones: 4-9, depending on type

Learn more about mullein.

Oregano

You can count on oregano to add good looks to perennial borders. Be warned, though: As with many plants in the mint family, you can also count on it to quickly spread throughout the garden.

Plant Name: Origanum selections

Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil

Size: To 2 feet tall and wide, depending on type

Zones: 4-9, depending on type

Click here to learn more about growing oregano

Pigsqueak

This evergreen perennial earned its moniker from the sound it makes when you rub two of thick, rubbery leaves together. It's their texture that makes them a deer deterrent; we can't imagine eating them either. So instead, we enjoy their clusters of pink, red, or white springtime flowers.

Plant Name: Bergenia selections

Growing Conditions: Full sun or part shade and moist, well-drained soil

Size: To 2 feet tall and wide

Zones: 4-8

Learn more about pigsqueak.

Yellow Waxbells

Use this plant to create wonderful texture in your shade garden. Yellow waxbells offers big, maple-like leaves and clusters of long-lasting yellow blooms in late summer and early fall. It's a nice way to add color to the garden when most other shade lovers have finished blooming.

Plant Name: Kirengeshoma palmata

Growing Conditions: Shade and moist, well-drained soil

Size: To 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide

Zones: 5-8

Learn more about yellow waxbells.

Top Deer-Resistant Plants of the Northwest

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