The following are plants that are generally considered least favored by deer in this region. They are categorized into two groups: Rarely Damaged and Rarely Severely Damaged. Rarely Damaged plants are indicated by bold type. Common names are in parentheses.
WOODY TREES & SHRUBS
Aesculus parviflora (Bottlebrush Buckeye)
Abies (Fir)
Acer palmatum (Japanese Maple)
Amelanchier (Seviceberry, Shadbush, Sarvistree)
Andromeda polifolia (Bog Rosemary)
Aralia spinosa (Devil’s Walkingstick)
Arctostaphyllos uva-ursi (Bearberry)
Aronia (Chokeberry)
Asimina triloba (Pawpaw)
Betula nigra (River Birch)
Betula papyrifera (Paper Birch, Canoe Birch)
Buddleia (Butterfly Bush)
Buxus (Boxwood)
Callicarpa (Beautyberry)
Calluna (Heather)
Calycanthus (Sweetshrub)
Caryopteris (Bluebeard)
Cephalotaxus harringtonia (Plumleaf Yew)
Cercidyphyllum japonicum (Katsura Tree)
Chamaecyparis pisifera (Sawara Cypress)
Chamaecyparis thyoides (Atlantic White Cedar)
Chaenomeles (Flowering Quince)
Clethra alnifolia (Summersweet, Pepperbush)
Cornus alba (Tartarian Dogwood)
Cornus florida (Flowering Dogwood)
Cornus kousa (Kousa Dogwood)
Cornus Rutgers Hybrid (Rutgers Hybrid Dogwood)
Cornus sericea (Red-twigged Dogwood)
Corylus (Hazel)
Cotinus coggygria (Smoke Tree)
Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster)
Crataegus viridis Winter King (Winter King Hawthorn)
Cryptomeria (Japanese Cedar)
Cytisus (Broom)
Daphne (Garland Flower, Rose Daphne)
Deutzia (Deutzia)
Enkianthus (Enkianthus)
Erica (Heath)
Forsythia (Forsythia)
Fothergilla (Fothergill)
Gleditsia triacanthos inermis (Thornless Honeylocust)
Halesia (Silverbell)
Hamamelis (Witchhazel)
Hibiscus syriacus (Rose-of-Sharon, Shrub Althea)
Hypericum (St. John’s Wort)
Ilex glabra (Inkberry)
Ilex opaca (American Holly)
Ilex verticillata (Winterberry)
Itea (Sweetspire)
Juniperus chinensis (Chinese juniper)
Kalmia latifolia (Mountain Laurel)
Kerria (Kerria)
Kolkwitzia (Beautybush)
Leucothoe fontanesiana (Drooping leucothoe)
Ligustrum (Privet)
Lindera benzoin (Spicebush)
Magnolia (Magnolia)
Mahonia aquifolium (Oregon Grape Holly)
Metasequoia (Redwood)
Microbiota decussata (Siberian Carpet Cypress)
Myrica pensylvanica (Northern Bayberry)
Picea glauca (White Spruce)
Picea glauca ‘Conica’ (Dwarf Alberta Spruce varieties)
Picea omorika (Serbian Spruce)
Picea pungens (Colorado Spruce)
Pieris cultivars and japonica (Japanese Andromeda)
Pinus mugo mugo (Mugo Pine)
Pinus nigra austriaca (Austrian Black Pine)
Pinus resinosa (Red Pine)
Pinus sylvestris (Scots Pine)
Pinus thunbergiana (Japanese Black Pine)
Pachysandra terminalis (Spurge)
Philadelphus (Mockorange)
Picea abies (Norway Spruce)
Potentilla (Shrubby Cinquefoil)
Prunus serrulata (Japanese Flowering Cherry)
Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas Fir)
Rhamnus (Tallhedge, Buckthorn)
Rhus (Sumac)
Salix matsudana Tortuosa (Contorted Peking Willow)
Sambucus racemosa (European Red Elder)
Spiraea (Spirea)
Symphoricarpos (Snowberry, Coralberry)
Syringa (Lilac)
Taxus cuspidata Tree Form (Tree Form Japanese Yew)
Taxus x media Anthony Wayne (Anthony Wayne Yew)
Thuja occidentalis ‘Holmstrup’ (Holmstrup American Arborvitae)
Thuja plicata (Western Red Cedar)
Vinca minor (Periwinkle, Myrtle)
Weigela (Weigela)
HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS
Achillea (Yarrow)
Aconitum (Monkshood)
Agastache (Giant Hyssop)
Alchemilla (Lady’s Mantle)
Allium (Onion)
Amsonia (Star Flower)
Anemone (Windflower)
Aquilegia (Columbine)
Arabis (Rock Cress)
Artemesia (Wormwood)
Asclepias (Swamp Milkweed, Butterfly Weed)
Astilbe (Perennial Spirea)
Aurinia saxatilis (Basket-of-Gold)
Bamboo (all varieties)
Baptisia (False Indigo)
Bergenia (Saxifrage)
Boltonia (Bolton’s Aster)
Brunnera (Siberian Bugloss)
Campanula carpatica (Carpathian Bellflower)
Cassia (Wild Senna)
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides (Plumbago)
Chelone (Turtlehead)
Cimcifuga (Bugbane)
Convallaria majalis (Lily-of-the-Valley)
Coreopsis (Tickseed)
Corydalis (Corydalis)
Dicentra (Bleeding Heart)
Delphinium (Larkspur)
Dianthus (Carnation, Pink)
Digitalis (Foxglove)
Echinops (Globe Thistle)
Epimedium (Bishop’s Cap, Barrenwort)
Eupatorium (Joe-Pye-Weed, Hardy Ageratum)
Euphorbia (Spurge)
Fern (all varieties)
Filipendula (Meadowsweet)
Gaillardia (Blanket Flower)
Geranium (Cranesbill)
Grasses (most varieties)
Gypsophila (Baby’s Breath)
Helleborus (Hellebore)
Herbs (most)
Heuchera (Coralbells)
Iberis (Candytuft)
Iris (all varieties)
Kirengeshoma (Yellow Waxbells)
Lamium (Dead Nettle)
Lavandula (Lavender)
Lewisia cotyledon (Bitter Root)
Liatris (Blazingstar, Gayfeather)
Ligularia (Golden Ray)
Lobelia (Cardinal Flower, Lobelia)
Lupinus (Lupine)
Lychnis coronaria ‘Atrosanguinea’ (Rose Campion)
Macleaya (Plume Poppy)
Monarda (Wild Bergamot)
Nepeta (Catmint)
Oenothera (Evening Primrose)
Opuntia humifusa (Prickly Pear Cactus)
Paeonia (Peony – except suffruticosa)
Papaver orientale (Oriental Poppy)
Perovskia (Russian Sage)
Phlox subulata (Moss Pink)
Polemonium (Jacob’s Ladder)
Primula (Primrose)
Pulmonaria (Lungwort)
Pycnanthemum virginianum (Mountain Mist)
Rodgersia (Rodgersia)
Rudbeckia (Coneflower)
Salvia (Sage)
Santolina (Lavender Cotton)
Sedum (Stonecrop)
Sempervivum (Houseleek, Hens and Chicks)
Solidago (Goldenrod)
Stachys (Lamb’s Ears)
Tiarella (Foam Flower)
Thymus (Thyme)
Trillium (Wakerobin)
Vernonia (Ironweed)
Veronica (Speedwell)
Viola (Violet)
Yucca filamentosa (Adam’s Needle)
GROUNDCOVERS & VINES
Ajuga (Bugle Weed)
Asarum (Ginger)
Clematis (Clematis)
Galium odoratum (Sweet Woodruff)
Gaultheria procumbens (Wintergreen, Checkerberry)
Lonicera (Honeysuckle)
Pachysandra terminalis (Japanese Spurge)
Vinca minor (Periwinkle, Myrtle)
Wisteria (Wisteria)
ANNUALS & BIENNIALS
Ageratum houstonianum (Ageratum)
Anthemis (Anthemis)
Antirrhinum (Snapdragon)
Calendula (English Pot Marigold)
Celosia (Cockscomb)
Centaurea (Basket Flower)
Cleome (Cleome)
Solenostemon (Coleus)
Cosmos (Cosmos)
Datura (Thorn Apple)
Delphinium (Larkspur)
Digitalis (Foxglove)
Helichrysum (Helichrysum)
Heliotropum arborescens (Heliotrope)
Herbs (most)
Lobularia maritime (Sweet Alyssum)
Mathiola (Stock)
Myosotis (Forget Me Not)
Nasturtium (Nasturtium)
Papaver (Poppy)
Pelargonium (Geranium)
Petunia (Petunia)
Salvia farinacea (Salvia)
Senecio cineraria (Dusty Miller)
Tagetes (Marigold)
Verbena (Verbena)
Zinnia (Zinnia)
BULBS
Allium (Onion)
Anemone (Windflower)
Chionodoxa (Glory of the Snow)
Colchicum (Autumn Crocus)
Crocus (Crocus)
Eranthis (Winter Aconite)
Leucojum (Snowflake)
Muscari (Grape Hyacinth)
Narcissus (Daffodil)
Scilla (Squill)
