- 15 best plants to deter deer<\/a>
- 1. Barrenwort<\/a><\/li>
- 2. Bee balm<\/a><\/li>
- 3. Bleeding heart<\/a><\/li>
- 4. Boxwood<\/a><\/li>
- 5. Butterfly bush<\/a><\/li>
- 6. Chives<\/a><\/li>
- 7. Daffodils<\/a><\/li>
- 8. Foxglove<\/a><\/li>
- 9. Iris<\/a><\/li>
- 10. Lamb\u2019s ear<\/a><\/li>
- 11. Marigolds<\/a><\/li>
- 12. Oregano<\/a><\/li>
- 13. Peony<\/a><\/li>
- 14. Purple coneflower<\/a><\/li>
- 15. Russian sage<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- Why are deer attracted to your yard?<\/a><\/li>
- FAQ about deer<\/a><\/li><\/ul> \t\t\t<\/div> \t\t<\/div><\/div>
15 best plants to deter deer<\/span><\/h2>
By incorporating a few of these flowers and plants<\/a> along fences, near driveways, and at the edges of flower beds, you can repel deer from snacking on your lawn. If you have a prized garden feature, surround it with deer-resistant plants to protect it from wandering mouths. <\/p>
1. Barrenwort<\/span><\/h3>
![\"closeup](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/rsz_8647183154_8dd2c08233_c.jpg\")
Ruth Hartnup | Flickr<\/a> | CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Barrenwort is a low-growing perennial often used as groundcover. Its leaves have deep veins and are a bronze color in spring, turning olive green by fall. Soft pink flowers with petals that drape down bloom in the spring. <\/p>
Barrenwort is highly deer-resistant and easy to grow. It tolerates drought and average soils but thrives in fertile ground covered by partial shade. It spreads via rhizomes to cover large swaths of ground once established. Plant it around water features or along fences.<\/p>
Plant type: <\/strong>Groundcover<\/p>
USDA hardiness zones<\/strong>: 5-8<\/p>
Sunlight needs:<\/strong> Partial sun to full shade<\/p>
Water needs:<\/strong> Medium<\/p>
Soil preferences<\/strong>: Well-draining, rich<\/p>
Duration:<\/strong> Perennial<\/p>
Mature height:<\/strong> 6-12 inches<\/p>
2. Bee balm<\/span><\/h3>
![\"macro](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/rsz_51403421131_287b76eafd_c.jpg\")
Sharon Mollerus | Flickr<\/a> | CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Bee balm\u2019s showy, eccentric blooms are a crowd favorite for people and pollinators in the neighborhood. It\u2019s a native plant, so it\u2019s better adapted to the environment and requires less maintenance. <\/p>
Although bees and butterflies can\u2019t get enough of bee balm\u2019s nectar<\/a>, deer don\u2019t like the strong smell. Even better, mosquitoes avoid it<\/a>, too. All you need to do to ensure your bee balm thrives is give it plenty of direct sunlight.\u00a0<\/p>
Plant type:<\/strong> Flower<\/p>
USDA hardiness zones<\/strong>: 4-9<\/p>
Sunlight needs<\/strong>: Full sun to part shade (prefers more sun)<\/p>
Water needs<\/strong>: Medium<\/p>
Soil preferences<\/strong>: Loamy, clay, sandy<\/p>
Duration<\/strong>: Perennial<\/p>
Mature height<\/strong>: 4 feet<\/p>
3. Bleeding heart<\/span><\/h3>
![\"shallow](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/rsz_bleeding-heart-g37c607ac5_1280.jpg\")
Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Bleeding heart is a vine known by many names: glory bower, bagflower, and glory tree, to name a few. Its primary name<\/a> comes from the stunning flowers. From the center of a heart-shaped, white calyx, a ruby-red corolla emerges like a drop of blood.<\/p>
To maximize this vine\u2019s potential, wind it through a trellis or your fence<\/a>. The structure will encourage growth and provide a deer-resistant barrier at the border of your landscape. Since it hails from a tropical environment, it appreciates some shade and humidity. <\/p>
Plant type: <\/strong>Vine<\/p>
USDA hardiness zones:<\/strong> 2-9<\/p>
Sunlight needs:<\/strong> Partial shade to full shade<\/p>
Water needs:<\/strong> Medium<\/p>
Soil preferences:<\/strong> Rich, moist, slightly acidic, or neutral<\/p>
Duration:<\/strong> Perennial<\/p>
Mature height:<\/strong> 10-15 feet tall<\/p>
4. Boxwood<\/span><\/h3>
![\"variety](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/rsz_boxwood-370547_1280-1.jpg\")
cocoparisienne | Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Boxwood is a great addition to a deer-proof garden, thanks to its strong scent. Boxwood is among the most versatile evergreens, available in numerous shapes and sizes. Once established, boxwood is quite drought-tolerant and only needs extra watering during dry weather.<\/p>
Mainly grown for their foliage, their lance-shaped leaves grow either a darker blue-green or a paler green color and grow small yellow-green flowers in the spring.<\/p>
Proceed with caution if you have pets or children. Boxwood bushes contain a toxic alkaloid that is dangerous to animals and people, and contact with the sap can irritate the skin. This toxin is what repels deer, so keep that in mind.<\/p>
Plant type<\/strong>: Shrub<\/p>
USDA hardiness zones<\/strong>: 4-8<\/p>
Sunlight needs<\/strong>: Partial shade<\/p>
Water needs<\/strong>: High when first planted, low once established<\/p>
Soil preferences<\/strong>: Well-drained soil<\/p>
Duration:<\/strong> Perennial<\/p>
Mature height<\/strong>: 1-20 feet<\/p>
5. Butterfly bush<\/span><\/h3>
![\"Butterfly](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/rsz_joshua-j-cotten-np-hk3_znl4-unsplash.jpg\")
Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> They may be irresistible to butterflies, but these perennial plants are also deer-resistant shrubs. Butterfly bush blooms all season long, from early summer to early fall. Its impressive clusters of floral spikes bloom in various colors, so its colorful spray of purple, pink, lavender, blue, yellow, or white flowers and green foliage will look amazing in your garden.<\/p>
Butterfly bush can be super invasive, so you must dead-head the blooms or consider planting sterile hybrids.<\/p>
Plant type<\/strong>: Shrub<\/p>
USDA hardiness zones<\/strong>: 5-10<\/p>
Sunlight needs:<\/strong> Full sun<\/p>
Water needs:<\/strong> Low<\/p>
Soil preferences:<\/strong> Well-drained, acidic soil<\/p>
Duration<\/strong>: Perennial<\/p>
Mature height:<\/strong> 7-18 inches<\/p>
6. Chives<\/span><\/h3>
![\"shallow](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/rsz_chives-g3b1866d2b_1280.jpg\")
Matthias B\u00f6ckel | Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Chives are a secret weapon for your kitchen and one of the best deer repellent plants out there. Their strong scent<\/a> turns away deer as well as smaller invaders like aphids and Japanese beetles. <\/p>
Other culinary herb options for repelling deer include onions, leeks, dill, mint, and fennel. Save basil and parsley for the grocery store, though, because deer like to snack on those.<\/p>
Plant type:<\/strong> Herb<\/p>
USDA hardiness zones:<\/strong> 3-10<\/p>
Sunlight needs:<\/strong> Full sun<\/p>
Water needs:<\/strong> Medium \u2014 make sure it doesn\u2019t dry out around the root zone<\/p>
Soil preferences:<\/strong> Well-draining and rich, but be careful of over-fertilizing<\/p>
Duration:<\/strong> Perennial<\/p>
Mature height: <\/strong>10-15 inches<\/p>
7. Daffodils<\/span><\/h3>
![\"shallow](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/rsz_daffodil-g9d3c02259_1280.jpg\")
Mabel Amber | Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Daffodils are an iconic perennial in the United States. Their yellow, star-shaped blooms bring an explosion of sunshine to your garden border. And they\u2019re not just nice to look at. Daffodils contain an alkaloid called lycorine that\u2019s toxic to deer and rabbits.<\/p>
This is a hardy plant that doesn\u2019t need much fuss, so long as you make sure it\u2019s not sitting in soggy soil<\/a>. Plant the bulbs in the fall before the ground freezes, and by spring, you\u2019ll have beautiful flowers<\/a> you can cut and bring into your kitchen for some cheer.<\/p>
Plant type:<\/strong> Flower<\/p>
USDA hardiness zones:<\/strong> 4-8<\/p>
Sunlight needs: <\/strong>Full sun or partial sun<\/p>
Water needs: <\/strong>Medium, but low in the summer (they go dormant and prefer to be drier)<\/p>
Soil preferences:<\/strong> Rich, well-drained<\/p>
Duration: <\/strong>Perennial<\/p>
Mature height:<\/strong> 6-30 inches<\/p>
8. Foxglove<\/span><\/h3>
![\"Foxglove](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Foxglove-beardtongue_800.jpg\")
Foxglove Beardtongue | lcm1863<\/a> | Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0<\/a> <\/figcaption><\/figure> With tall, slender stems covered in brightly speckled trumpet-shaped flowers, foxglove is poisonous, so deer stay far away from it. Despite its toxicity, it is a friend to pollinators like honeybees and hummingbirds, and it looks lovely against a fence or building. <\/p>
Foxglove self-seeds, so it can become invasive if you don\u2019t dead-head it after it’s done flowering. This perennial blooms in late spring to mid summer.<\/p>
Plant type<\/strong>: Flower<\/p>
USDA hardiness zones<\/strong>: 4-9<\/p>
Sunlight needs<\/strong>: Full sun to partial shade<\/p>
Water needs<\/strong>: Medium<\/p>
Soil preferences<\/strong>: Well-drained and loamy<\/p>
Duration<\/strong>: Perennial<\/p>
Mature height:<\/strong> 3-5 feet<\/p>
9. Iris<\/span><\/h3>
![\"shallow](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/rsz_iris-g074fd83f1_1280.jpg\")
dewdrop157 | Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Like its namesake, the Greek goddess who got around via rainbow, irises come in every color. You can spot an iris by its three outer hanging petals surrounding three inner upright petals. Blooms start in early summer.<\/p>
Irises need good air circulation, so plant them a minimum of 16 to 18 inches apart and make sure the ground around them is free from weeds and debris. Be careful not to plant them too deeply in the ground; the rhizome should be slightly exposed at the top. <\/p>
Plant type:<\/strong> Flower<\/p>
USDA hardiness zones<\/strong>: 3-9<\/p>
Sunlight needs<\/strong>: Full sun to partial sun<\/p>
Water needs<\/strong>: Medium<\/p>
Soil preferences<\/strong>: Loamy, average, well-draining<\/p>
Duration:<\/strong> Perennial<\/p>
Mature height:<\/strong> 1-3 feet<\/p>
10. Lamb\u2019s ear<\/span><\/h3>
![\"closeup](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/rsz_stachys-byzantina-gc3f19ba28_1280.jpg\")
Lynn Greyling | Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> This plant\u2019s wooly leaves are as soft as velvet, just like a real lamb\u2019s ear. They have a silvery green color and produce conal spikes of pink or purple flowers. While deer and rabbits don\u2019t like lamb\u2019s ear, bees and hummingbirds will happily feast on its nectar.<\/p>
Lamb\u2019s ear doesn\u2019t like sitting in moist soil. Wait to water until it\u2019s significantly dry. If you live in an area with lots of rain, plant it beneath a tree or overhang, and make sure your pot or soil has good drainage. <\/p>
Plant type:<\/strong> Flower<\/p>
USDA hardiness zones:<\/strong> 4-8<\/p>
Sunlight needs: <\/strong>Full sun to partial shade<\/p>
Water needs:<\/strong> Low <\/p>
Soil preferences: <\/strong>Poor or rich, well-draining<\/p>
Duration: <\/strong>Perennial<\/p>
Mature height:<\/strong> 6 inches to 2 feet<\/p>
11. Marigolds<\/span><\/h3>
![\"Marigold](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/marigold_800.jpg\")
Marigold | Silvia Corradin<\/a> | Pexels<\/figcaption><\/figure> The golden yellow tones of marigolds are like little sunsets you can look at all the time. These pops of color with carnation-like flowers are relatively easy to care for and can survive intense heat and poor soil. <\/p>
Marigolds are a powerhouse for pest control. They make a great companion plant for crops like cucumbers, strawberries, and onions that are threatened by harmful nematodes (microscopic worms). <\/p>
- 2. Bee balm<\/a><\/li>
- 1. Barrenwort<\/a><\/li>