The Most Deer-Resistant Plants I Grow

Nothing is completely deer proof — we’ve covered that. But some plants are much less likely to get damaged, and these are the ones I lean on when someone tells me they’re fighting deer all season. Here are the most deer-resistant annuals and tropicals I grow, and why each one earns the spot.

Calcium oxalate crystals in the tissue, thick leaves, and a tough texture make this one of the most deer-resistant tropicals you can put in a landscape.

Aromatic foliage, tough stems, and heat-loving growth. It blooms all summer and deer consistently pass it by.

Strong fragrance and essential oils — the same things that make pollinators love it make deer keep walking.

Aromatic, rough-textured foliage and tremendous heat tolerance. A workhorse in a deer-pressured bed.

Like Alocasia, it carries calcium oxalate crystals and a taste deer find unappealing — with foliage color that holds all season in shade.

Moderately resistant, especially as the plants mature and the foliage toughens up.

Most repellents and resistant plants work best when you apply repellents before damage occurs, reapply them regularly, and rotate occasionally. The tools that actually move the needle are fencing, motion sprinklers, repellents, and smart plant selection. The ones that rarely do: Irish Spring soap, human hair, one-time sprays, and hoping the deer simply go elsewhere on their own.

Reference: Purdue University Extension · Rutgers NJAES landscape deer-resistance ratings · Schlegel Greenhouse production notes