Deer resistant plantsWritten by:

Cathy LeVahnAnoka County Master Gardener

Minnesota Tree Care Advisor

Compiled by Gilda Banfield

Olmsted County Master Gardener

• Alkaline Soil• Annuals 3 Feet or More• Annual Vines That Grow Quickly• Boulevard Gardens: Perennials• Boulevard Gardens: Small Trees• Broadleaf Evergreens for Zone 4• Clay Soil• Cold Tolerant Annuals• Compacted Sites: Trees• Crevice Plants• Deer Resistant Plants• Dry Soil: Annual Foliage Plants• Dry Soil: Shade or Under Trees• Dry Soil: Trees• Fragrant Annuals and Perennials• Fragrant Shrubs• Indoor Low Light• Knot Gardens• Lakeshore Native Plants• Long-Blooming Perennials• Rain Garden Plants• River Banks and Canoe Public Access Areas• Self-Seeding Perennials• Septic Mound Plants• Shade: Shrubs• Shade: Small Trees• Shade: Tall Perennials• Steep Slopes• Trees that Produce Minimal Litter• Under a Black Walnut Tree

www.countrymilegardens.com

atthecreation.com/

Deer Facts• 1,113,000

– Estimated Statewide Deer Population (2007)

• Hungry deer will eat almost any kind of plant

• More likely to damage younger, tender plants

• Don’t mix plants they prefer among those they dislike

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

www.kansasbirdingtrails.com

Cathy LeVahn

www.donnan.com

ag.utah.gov

ag.utah.gov

www.donnan.com

Possible Solutions• Fencing

– Wire, not wood• Angled away from yard

– Psychological and physical barrier

• 6 feet high and 30° angle

– Electric fencing somewhat successful

• Not 100% successful

www.afencecompany.com

www.dcs.gov.uk

Possible Solutions• Repellents

– Contact Repellents• Applied to plants• Tastes bad

– Area Repellents• Foul odor repels

deer

• Connecticut study tested 6 repellents, none more than 50% effective

blog.oregonlive.com

Possible SolutionsA Connecticut study tested 6 repellents, none

more than 50% effective

Repellent Effectiveness

Deer Away (rotten egg) 46%

Hinder (ammonium soaps) 43%

Thiram (bitter fungicide) 43%

Mesh bags of human hair 34%

Magic Circle (bone tar oil) 18%

Miller Hot Sauce 15%

www.whitetailsolutionsllc.com

Possible SolutionsNo scientific evidence but worth a try:

•Deodorant soap tied to tree branches•Egg mixture sprayed on foliage

–2 eggs–1 to 2 cups cold water–Mix in high speed blender–Add to gallon of water and spray on foliage–Does not wash off foliage easily, reapply 2-3 times per season

Possible Solutions• Noise Alarms

– Using sound not effective– More bothersome to homeowner than deer– Deer become accustomed to noise

Deer Resistant Plants• Deer damage to ornamental plants is

very frustrating.• You can minimize the damage they can

do by avoiding plants they prefer.• Use plants that deer avoid due to

– Toxicity– Fragrance– Texture

Yarrow (Achillea spp.)• Height: 18”- 3’• Drought tolerant• Prefers full sun

Bailey Nurseries

www.bellwebs.com

Ageratum (Ageratum houstonianum)

• Height: 6-24”• Beautiful blue, pink or white flowers• Easy to grow

Ornamental onion (Allium spp.)• Height: 1-4’• Many forms and species• Tough and may self-seed

Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)• Height: 1-3’• Short-lived• Self-seeds• Showy flowers

Bailey Nurseries

Wax begonia (Begonia semperflorens & hybrids)

• Height: 8”-2’• Dependable flowers• Shade and drought tolerant

Flickr.com

Purdue University

Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)• Height: 2-3’• Native• Attracts birds and

butterflies

Bailey Nurseries

Heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens)• Height: 18-24”• Cherry-pie fragrance• Tough• Long lasting

flowers

Ottawa Horticulture Society

Sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima)• Height: 4-12”• Edging and container plant• Self-seeds

Cape Town Garden

Daffodil (Narcissus spp.)• Height: 6-24”• Poisonous to squirrels and deer• Can be planted under trees

Peony (Paeonia lactiflora)• Height: 2-3’• Long lasting perennial• May need staking• Prefers full sun

Bailey Nurseries

Poppy (Papaver spp.)• Height: 1-3’• Showy flowers• Can self-seed• Many species and cultivars

Geranium (Pelargonium xhortorum)• Height: 12-18”• Cemetery plant• Tough and drought resistant

All American Selections

Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)• Height: 3-4’• Drought tolerant• Prefers full sun

Blue salvia (Salvia farinacea)• Height: 24-30”• Attracts butterflies

and hummingbirds

All American Selections

Dusty Miller (Senecio cineraria)• Height: 6-15”• Silver-grey or white foliage• Drought and cold tolerant

Dave’s garden

Lamb’s ear (stachys byzantina)• Height: 6-15”• Silver foliage good for edging and front of border• Drought tolerant

Marigold (tagetes spp.)• Height: 6”-3’• Long-lasting yellow, gold and bicolor flowers• Easy to grow from seed

University of Minnesota

All American Selection

Bleeding Heart (dicentra)• Height: 8”-4’• Bloom Color: Pink, White, Red-pink• Light shade or full shade

Butterfly Weed (Asclepias)• Height: 12”-24”• Bloom Color: Orange, yellow, white, red• Prefers sandy soil or of poor quality• Undisturbed, it develops a large taproot

aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu

Gayfeather (Liatris spicata)• Height: 2-4’• Flower Color: Purple, white• Exposure: Sun• Soil: Well-drained• Bloom Time: June - October

Plume poppy (Macleaya cordata)• Height: 6-8’• Flower Color: Creamy white• Exposure: Sun, partial sun or light shade • Soil: Well drained, moist• Bloom Time: July - September

Speedwell (Veronica spicata)• Height: 1-2’• Flower Color: Purple, white,

pink• Exposure: Sun, partial sun/

light shade• Soil: Well-drained• Bloom Time: • June – September

Zinnia (zinnia)• Height: 6-36”• Flower Color: Red, yellow, gold, green, purple, orange,

pink, white, maroon, brown• Exposure: Sun• Easy to start from seed

www.math.iupui.edu homepage.mac.com

schwehr.org

www.mdwfp.com

Trees

Shrubs and

Vinesatthecreation.com

www.ca.uky.edu

www.whitetailsolutionsllc.com

ag.utah.gov

Japanese barberry (Barberis thunbergii)• Height: 2-5’• Thorny• Many cultivars• Red berries and red fall color• May be invasive

Bailey Nurseries

Bittersweet (Celastrus scandens)• Height: to 60’• Woody native vine• Attractive berries

Bailey Nurseries

Red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea)• Height: 6-12’• Attractive red stems• Cultivars vary in height and form

Bailey Nurseries

University of Minnesota

Forsythia (Forsythia ‘Northern Sun’)• Height: 8-10’• Fast growing• Very hardy flower buds• Tolerates a wide variety of soils

Bailey Nurseries

Chinese Juniper (Juniperus chinensis)• Height: 2-6’• Many cultivars and forms• Good for full sun

dansjunipers.tripod.com/chinensis.htm

Mugo pine (Pinus mugo)• Height: 12-20’• Tolerant of alkaline, compacted or salty soils

Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris)• Height: 25-50’• Evergreen with attractive bark

Michigan State University

Rhododendron & Azalea (Rhododentron spp.)

• Height: 3-6’• Evergreen and deciduous species• Showy flowers• ‘Northern Lights’ series are the

hardiest

University of Minnesota

Lilac (Syringa vulgarus)• Height: 8-15’• Showy fragrant flowers in spring• Tolerant of many sites

Bailey Nurseries

Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago)• Height: 12-18’• Native shrubs• Fruits turn from red to blue• Shade tolerant

Bailey Nurseries

Potentilla (potentilla)• Height: 1-4’• Extremely winter hardy• Blooms extended period, early summer through fall• Full sun

Bailey Nurseries

www.boston.com

Not so cute anymore, is he?

References:• University of Minnesota Extension

http://www.extension.umn.edu• Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/index.html

Thank You