Top Deer-Resistant Plants for Your Region

By Viveka Neveln Updated September 22, 2020

Credit: Laurie Black

It's always disappointing when deer munch their way through your carefully-tended garden. While no plant is completely deer-proof, there are definitely some that are lower down on their menu. Depending on where you live, these beautiful plants should have less appeal to deer in your region.

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Deer-Resistant Plants for the Northeast

Credit: Peter Krumhardt

Tough winters aren't the biggest challenge that many Northeastern gardeners have to face; the region hosts hordes of hungry deer. But the critters usually avoid plants such as bee balm, catmint, and Japanese painted fern so you can garden in peace.

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Deer-Resistant Plants for the Midwest

Credit: Rob Cardillo

From Minnesota to Missouri, countless gardeners have had their landscape dreams dashed by deer. Your best bet for stopping your yard from being turned into a buffet is growing tough native plants such as bluestar, coreopsis, lungwort, penstemon, and coneflower.

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Deer-Resistant Plants for the South

Credit: James Carriere

This diverse region, which stretches from Florida into Texas, offers a ton of great garden plants. The trick is to pick varieties that aren't deer favorites, such as bear's breeches, chrysanthemum, crocosmia, goldenrod, and Joe Pye weed.

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Deer-Resistant Plants for the Mountain West & High Plains

Credit: Dency Kane

Plants have to be tough to thrive in the sometimes-arid conditions of the Mountain West and the High Plains. Fortunately, there are several hardy species that also won't get mowed down by deer. A few popular choices include ajuga, allium, coralbells, salvia, and yucca.

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Deer-Resistant Plants for the Pacific Northwest

Credit: Susan Gilmore

It may seem like a gardener's paradise, but the Pacific Northwest is also a deer paradise with plenty of lush fodder for them in the landscape. Fortunately, you can make your yard less appealing to them by growing unappetizing species such as bellflower, foxglove, epimedium, ligularia, and meadow rue.

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Deer-Resistant Plants for the Desert Southwest

Credit: Peter Krumhardt

It may seem (especially to new gardeners) as if virtually nothing grows in this region, and what does is gobbled up by deer. But there are actually plenty of options you can grow so the deer go elsewhere to do their grazing. Agave, blanket flower, lavender, rosemary, and snow-in-summer are just a few that will do the trick.

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Deer-Resistant Plants for Southern California

Credit: Laurie Black

People enjoy Southern California's sometimes picture-perfect weather, but so do herds of mule deer. Enjoy a beautiful garden without these four-legged fiends by picking plants they'll pass by, such as California fuchsia, hedgehog cactus, hens and chicks, shasta daisy, and soapwort.

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Top Deer-Resistant Plants for Your Region