15+ Deer-Resistant Perennials to Plant in your Garden

by Anna Scott · January 26, 2024

Hey folks! Welcome back!

I hope you are doing great in your gardening field. So, along with this, I am here with another appreciative and informative article for you that will help you in your garden. So, if you are looking to grow the best perennials but the stress of deer is not letting you do so. Then no worries, as there are various deer-resistant perennials to plant in your garden area.

I know it is annoying to see your plants are damaged by the deer as they fulfill their hunger by eating the plants and flowers in the garden. Dont worry as there is a big list of Deer-Resistant Perennials to Plant in your home garden.

So, let’s get started to learn about the best Deer-Resistant Perennials to Plant in your backyard to enjoy the benefits of the plants and flowers perennials.

Table of Contents

Deer-Resistant Perennials to Plant in Your Garden

As I already mentioned above, there are various Deer-Resistant Perennials to Plant in your garden. Some of them are beautifully explained in the below guide. Stay connected to understand them properly. They are as follows:

Peony

Peony is the foremost variety that can be grown in your home garden as it is also one of the best deer-resistant perennials to plant.
Farmers tend to grow this variety because of the red, yellow, white, pink, and orange color blooms in the plan that make the garden area colorful.
All they need is full sunlight for the growth and well-drained soil mix. You will observe the height of this plant of about 1 to 4 feet high and 2 to 3 feet wide.
Its USDA growing zone is 2 to 8. It will bloom at the time of late Spring depending on the variety that you have grown in your home garden.

Bee balm

Bee balm is one of the best deer-resistant perennials to plant in your home garden.
It tends to attract pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to its bright flowers in the plant.
Provide this plant with full sunlight so that it grows well. Some partial shade will also suit the plant.
Deer will not come to the plant If they sniff its foliage scent and even this plant is resistant to the diseases like powdery mildew.

English lavender

What about the English lavender? English calendar is one of those best resistant perennials to plant in your home garden that are famous for their aromatic smell.
As you know, there are no aromatic herbs in the garden area. So planting this variety of perennials will help you in keeping the deer away from your plants.
This plant will bloom in the time of middle of the summer and its USDA hardiness growing zone is 5.
It is scientifically known as Lavandula angustifolia. You have to provide them with sufficient sunlight so that it thrives well in your area.

Sage (Salvia officinalis)

Sage is another type of variant that comes under the Deer-Resistant Perennials to Plant in your garden. Sage is every farmer’s favorite choice to grow at home.
It is considered an ornamental plant that is a perennial herb that can be used as the toppings in food.
This plant requires a good amount of full sunlight to attain a healthy shape and size in the garden. Also, provide them with well-drained soil.
It is even used as a culinary herb in various households. This plant is famous because of its bushy foliage in the garden that looks charismatic.

Globe thistle

What about globe thistle? It is one of the Deer-Resistant Perennials to Plant in your garden area as it is one of the alluring plants for the gardeners.
You observe the height of this plant of about 2-5 feet high. They attract pollinators like bees, hummingbirds, etc.
Its bloom will flower at the time of spring till the summer. Deer will not come near the plant to eat them.
So, are you ready to witness the beauty of blue spherical-shaped flowers in the plant?

Columbine

Columbine is also one of the varieties of Deer-Resistant Perennials to Plant in your garden. It will produce distinct blooms in the plant.
It tends to attract pollinators like bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, etc which makes the appearance of the garden alluring.
Its leaves are poisonous and toxic for the deer, so, deer do not come near the plant for eating it. Various bees are dependent on the leaves of the columbine as a food source for them.
So, growing columbine as the Deer-Resistant Perennial would be a significant choice for your area as it produces lantern-shaped blooms in the plant.

Red Valerian

Red valerian is one of the plants that produces red color flowers in the plant that look appreciable in the whole garden distinct from every other plant.
It tends to be a source of food for the butterflies and bees but you should be happy to know that deer will not be coming to the plants.
You can make use of this plant as the border plant as it produces amazing foliage in the plant and even its flowers tend to produce an aromatic smell in the plant.
It is one of the Deer-Resistant Perennials to plant in your home garden as its foliage is bitter which is not liked by the deer.

Lantana

Lantana is considered an alluring flowering perennial that is native to Central and South America.
At the time of winters in the cool zones, it is planted as annuals. You will see more of the number of flowers in the plant.
This plant is toxic to the deer so deer avoid coming to the lantana plant and you can enjoy the benefits of the plant.
Its bloom will come every year and you can grow them in the garden beds and even in the containers.
It has various species under it so you can choose the best one for your area.

Lupins

Oh, lupines!! One of the famous varieties that is being adored by every Gardner in his home garden. I have also discussed about lupine earlier in my guide.
It is one of the spring-blooming plants that come in various shades of blue, red purple, white pink, etc.
It tends to grow in full sunlight and well-drained soil. Its USDA growing hardiness zone is 4 to 8.
So growing this variety in your area will not upset you as it will not allow the deer to come near the plant and eat them as it is the deer-resistant perennial to plant in your garden.

Lungwort

Lungwort is another type of Deer-Resistant Perennials to Plant in your home garden whose growing hardiness zone is 3 to 9.
Growing lungwort in your backyard will add more value to your garden collection than the deer-resistant plant.
It tends to produce bright pinkish colored flowers in the plant and even blue sometimes that looks eye catchy in the area.
Its foliage is silver in color and will attract natural pollinators towards like bees, butterflies, etc except the deer which can harm the plant.
It is easy to grow plants that can be grown at the time of summer and will bloom amazingly in your area at the time of spring.

Speedwell

What about Speedwell? Have you ever heard of this variety before? If not, then you should know that it is one of the deer-resistant perennials to plant.
It will produce flowers through the late spring till the early summer time and will grow long in its growing season.
If you prune the plant on time, then there will emerge more growth of blooms in the plant. Its USDA hardiness growing zone is 3-8.
Though there are various varieties of speedwell, choose the best one for your garden as per the climatic conditions.

Penstemons

Are you looking to grow Penstemons in your home garden? But worrying if the deer will harm the plant or not?
Guys do not worry as it is considered one of the stunning resistant perennials to plant in your backyard.
They are also known as beardtongue and can bear less supply of water. Being a drought-resistant plant it can even produce colourful blooms in the plant.
This plant will grow about 10 inches to 4 feet high and 6 to 36 inches wide, it depends on the variety that you are growing.

Salvia

Salvia is a hardy perennial that is famous because of its purplish-colored flowers in the plant.
It is one of the deer-resistant perennials to plant in your home garden as it stinks which is hated by the deer.
It is recommended to provide this plant with sufficient sunlight and well-drained soil so that it grows well, and you can enjoy the benefits.
Pruning of this plant is suggested as it will help the blooms to emerge in the plant wisely. You will observe its blooms at the time of late spring till the fall.

Thyme

Finally, one of the favorites for perennials is here. It is thyme that is suggested to be grown in the home garden as it is one of the best deer-resistant perennials to plant.
It can even used as a ground cover for the areas where there is a good amount of sunlight.
Thyme will grow about 12 inches high and 24 inches wide. It depends on the variety that you are growing in the garden.
The scent of the thyme will not let the Deer come near the plant which will save your plant and you can enjoy the benefits of it.

Brunnera

Last, but not least Brunnera is one of the varieties that is also known as the Siberian bugloss.
Growing this variety in your home garden will benefit you if you feed them with some shade in the garden area to keep the deer away from the plant.
It tends to produce heart-structured foliage in a green shade the plant looks attractive but is considered one of the deer-resistant perennials to plant in your home garden.
It is scientifically known as Brunnera macrophylla. You will observe the growth of this plant about 2 feet high and 2 feet wide.

Wrapping up the context

In this guide, you come to know about the best perennials but the stress of deer is not letting you do so. Then no worries, as there are various deer-resistant perennials to plant in your garden area.

I know it is annoying to see your plants are damaged by the deer as they fulfill their hunger by eating the plants and flowers in the garden. Dont worry as there is a big list of Deer-Resistant Perennials to Plant in your home garden.

Thanks for reading! Happy gardening!