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Deer Resistant

sampson2001 (zone 6a - cleveland - clay

7 years ago

I recently moved (still within zone 6...10 mile from Cleveland, 1/4 mil off the lake erie) and now I have hungry deer present. I would like to transform my landscape but not looking forward to spending time and money and having deer eat all my shrubs/perennials. I know I can research what plants are deer resistant but would rather get real life experiences from gardeners. This is what I would like to plant:

Snowmound Spirea, Russian Sage, Little Lime Hydrangea, Endless Summer Hydrangea, Wine Weigela, Gold Lace Juniper, Knock-Out Roses, Purple Gem Rhody, Hino Azalea.

Don't be jealous of the space I have

I've had good luck with planting these in the past and considering this I what I like I intend on planting them again...My purple gems died though...never new why...

Thanks

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Comments (5)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
7 years ago
It is hard to be very accurate about deer resistance. It can vary rather widely regionally - deer apparently have different appetites in different locations - and NO plant is truly immune to deer predation, depending on the age and curiosity of the animal and what other food sources are available. That's why 'deer resistant' lists are helpful - at least you can be aware of what plants they may favor.

The spiraea, Russian sage and juniper are probably safe. The rest, however, are generally considered moderately to severely damaged by deer.
zippity1
7 years ago
we live south of houston tx and often have groups of over 20 deer in our yard (almost daily) the most sure way to keep these guys from mowing down my roses and day lilies is to spray them with a product called liquid fence...i spray every couple of weeks if we have a lot of rain or maybe every month to 6 weeks if it's dry

though i don't know if this is a totally organic product, we do have lots of birds and pollinators in our yard

i spray in the evening because this product has a terrible odor, but within a couple of hours and definitely by morning, the odor will be gone

i do have lots of plants that deer don't care much for and new trees which deer love and i spray those also and put wire cages around the bases to keep the deer from using their antler on them i've had more plants damaged in this way than by deer eating them....
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I tried to create a privacy fence about ten or so years ago with Arborvitae (not sure of the cultivar or if it matters), it was not long before the deer ate them. Again, deer tastes can be regional and it also depends on the severity of the weather. Not a conifer expert but many of them do seem to be eaten by deer. I replaced Yews with Cephalotaxus (Japanese plum yews) and they will even occasional munch on them, unless it's rabbits. I eventually resolved my living property fences on one side with an allee of Southern Magnolias on the west side, east side with Cherry Laurel (Schip/Skip) and deciduous smoke bush, and the south side with Holly (Blue Prince/Princess), Nellie Stevens, Japanese, Chinese) and boxwoods. I have NEVER seen them touch boxwoods, ever. I have noticed them occasionally munching on the softer blue hollies, and Japanese Holly in a bad winter, EVEN the odd magnolia leaf in deep snow. They don't go near either the Nellie Stevens or the even more prickly, Chinese Holly. Cherry Laurels, are never touched, I think it's the cyanide, LOL. Other plants that I may be used as borders that deer tend never to bother with (in my personal experience) include, rhododendrons, bamboos (use the clumping ones, not the runners unless you are prepared to live in a bamboo forest), and Osmanthus heterophyllus 'goshiki', which is a very colorful, prickly, hardy, broadleaf evergreen. P.S., You won't find barberry on my list, I HATE them and ripped out all the ones the prior owners had planted to outwit the deer.
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laceyvail 6A, WV
7 years ago
I agree with gardengal about what the deer will favor or leave alone. Also, it's a good idea to spray with a good deer deterrent all plants when you first set them out. They will try new plants, perhaps pull them out of the ground, and sometimes deer develop a taste for something that they "should" not like. So spray so the first experience is bad.

Other deer resistant shrubs for your zone include Deutzias, usually Kalmias, Diervillas, Abelias, many Viburnums, Physocarpus, and for conifers, especially spruce.
Embothrium
7 years ago
Like threads on disease resistance in roses, threads on this topic where people put up paragraphs of anecdotes are to some extent kind of a waste of time - due to the aforementioned degree of variation. The only thing that provides complete assurance is successfully installed and maintained deer fencing.
mattp321
7 years ago
"Don't be jealous of the space I have"

Lol!

bro there's regular posters on here with acres of yard. At least one gardens for an entire town haha

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