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Gardeners’ Forum: “plants that deer will not eat”

• plants that deer will not eat

  Posted by frances falkenham on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 12:18 pm ADT

  I would like some advice as to the type of perennials,bulbs,scrubs that will not be eaten by deer. I am discovering the hard way what they do like. (e.g. tulips) Thank you

  • re: plants that deer will not eat

    Posted by Priscilla on Thursday, May 17, 2007 4:06 pm ADT

    Many deer roam through my yard year round. the Hardy plants ( zone 3b) that they have not touched ( yet) are: Potentilla,Lady's mantle, cranesbill geranium, delphinium, spurge, honeysuckle (shrub and vine) daffodils, allium, grape hyacinth, lilacs, ninebark (darts gold. these have survived this past year, but when the deer get hungry, they will eat almost anything - even juniper. I put wire cages over tulip beds until the flowers are in color and that has saved most of them. Good luck.

  • re: plants that deer will not eat

    Posted by peihobby on Friday, May 18, 2007 1:00 pm ADT

    this may sound weird but i wish PEI had deer, i'd love to have them around. I would plant a bed especially for them to eat.

  • re: plants that deer will not eat

    Posted by Bahb on Wednesday, May 30, 2007 3:58 am ADT

    Deer here won't touch iris of any kind, herbaceous peonies (they eat tree peonies), nigella, daphne, gardenias, oleander or rosemary. They leave a climbing red rose alone but decimate all other roses. Liquid Fence works but is too much of a bother so we make wire cages for plants we think we can't live without. Deer wreck our orchard by standing on their hind legs to reach into the trees and pull whole limbs down. They leave the fruit but eat the leaves. Go figure! Good luck.

  • re: plants that deer will not eat

    Posted by Cindy on Saturday, September 22, 2007 10:25 pm ADT

    I have the Rosevelt Elk plus many deer commonly in my yard. I've decided that they can graze my lawn but other than that, they seem to leave the heather and lavender alone. Also daisies as well as lilies and iris seem to be OK. Batchelor Buttons survive as well. Tip: Take a look at what is surviving in your neighborhood on its own without fences or other deterants. If it is pretty and to your liking........go with that!! Nature always knows best!! Happy planting!

  • re: plants that deer will not eat

    Posted by Corinne on Tuesday, May 6, 2008 12:15 pm ADT

    Noticed that deer will often eat a plant in one area of the garden but not another. Moved one of my pots of blooming english primulas to the other end of the garden and it was eaten up after it had been out there for months without being touched. Lots of silvery grey plants don't get eaten, at least not much. Sometimes in winter they eat stuff they'll never touch the rest of the year. Annuals that are pretty good are cleome, cosmos, snapdragons, trailing lobelia. Again though location in the garden and colour even, seem to have some bearing on whether they are left alone. Personally have not had much luck with lilies, honeysuckle or delphinium. We do have a lot of deer though, sometimes nine or ten at once on a half acre lot.