Well, the sad truth is…….not much!!, but here’s a few plants that you can try which the deer will at least not find to be their favorites.
Let’s start with a few shrubs:
Barberry(Berberis thunbergii)
Well of course the reason the deer don’t particularly like this shrub is because of the thorns that can be found on it’s stems. They can be a little hard to swallow sometimes!!
There are several varieties available on the market these days, including columnar types and dwarf types. The one we have pictured is a cultivar called Sunjoy Gold Beret, which is a dwarf with a beautiful golden yellow color.
Boxwood (buxus sp.):
Perhaps not the most exciting shrub in the world, but Boxwoods definitely serve a purpose, and one of those purposes is making the deer think twice about eating it!
Boxwoods are available in several different forms, from small to tall. My personal favorite at the moment is one called ‘Baby Gem’ (pictured). I like it because it has nice dark green foliage, and doesn’t get tremendously big, making it ideal for containers or edging.
Euonymus (Euonymus japonicus):
Euonymus are another shrub that come in a variety of sizes. For example the boxleaf type will stay pretty small and compact, with (surprise surprise) boxwood type leaves.
Of course ones that get a bigger stature are also available, such as ‘Silver King’, which will get an average size of about 7′Tx5′W and has pretty variegation.
One word of caution with Euonymus, however, is that they do tend to attract scale, and so it’s worth keeping an eye out for them and treating as soon as they are seen. Leave them on there too long and they can devour your Euonymus, which will in turn lead you to the conclusion that maybe you would have been better off with deer.
Butterfly Bush (Buddleia sp.):
Butterfly Bush used to be available in one size…big…but that’s no longer the case. It now comes in sizes from 2′ tall to 8′ tall, and is also available in several different colors.
Though Butterfly Bush loses all it’s foliage in the Winter it more than makes up for it with it’s plethora of blossoms throughout the Summer months. The blooms are visible on the plant from late Spring all the way through to Fall, and dead-heading will make them bloom even more.
The particular cultivar we have pictured above is a relatively new introduction called ‘Miss Ruby’. It will grow to about 5′ tall, and about 3-4′ wide, and has a beautiful vibrant pink blossom.
Now, let’s move on to some good perennial choices for deer resistance:
Wormwood (Artemesia sp.):
Artemesia comes in a few different varieties. There are green leaf versions, and silver leaf versions. They are also available as a low growing perennial, or one that gets a little taller. They do get a bloom on them, but generally they are grown more for their attractive foliage.
Of course what we like about Artemesia for the purposes of this article is the fact that deer find it very distasteful.
Bluebeard(Caryopteris):
Caryopteris is a shrubby perennial that get’s a beautiful blossom in late Summer into Fall. The blooms are usually in the blue family and range from powdery blue to purple.
Some cultivars have been developed which have beautiful variegaton on the leaves, adding to the beauty of this perennial and extending it’s season of interest. One of my favorites is ‘Snow Fairy’ (pictured), which has wonderful creamy margins on it’s leaves, and also has a quite different blossom compared to many other Caryopteris.
Gaura:
Gaura has a very delicate look to it’s blossoms. The tall and slender flower stalks flow easily in even the slightest of breezes lending it an air of elegance. With such a delicate and pretty looking bloom you would think that the deer would chew this things right up, but rest assured it will not be on the top of their dinner menu!
Gaura come in both pink and white, and though the main plant body will top out at about 12-18″ the flower stalks will stand tall above that. Try mixing them with perennials with a much thicker looking texture for a super look.
Stonecrop (Sedum):
Sedum is available as both a groundcover, and as a clump forming perennial, and both of them have a taste that the deer don’t particularly care for. There are several different varieties available, though the most commonly found is ‘Autumn Joy’.
‘Autumn Joy’ (pictured) is aptly named due to the fact that it flowers during the late Summer or Fall. It gets beautiful and large flower heads which have a nice pink color to them. Many people will leave the flower heads on even after they have dried to add some Winter interest to their landscape. This is also a great plant to use in areas which are hot and dry as, once it is established, Sedum is very drought tolerant.
So, there you have it. A few plants for you to think about, and there are others which could also be tried. The next time you are in the store just let us know and we’ll be happy to show you a list with some other plants for your consideration.