15 Deer-Resistant Flowers to Grow in Your Garden

pink peonies growing in a garden — Photo:
Birute / Getty Images

While cute, deer can wreak havoc on the flowers growing in your garden. These animals will munch on everything from hostas and roses to daylilies and other flowering plants. If you're having a hard time keeping deer off your property, it may be largely due to the flowers you're growing, as certain varieties are more appealing to them than others.

To deter deer from grazing, prioritize growing flowering perennials with a pungent aroma, bitter or minty taste, and prickly or fuzzy foliage. While plants with these characteristics aren't a guaranteed solution, they will certainly do their part in keeping deer out of your garden.

That said, repelling deer is ultimately about trial and error. Plant some flowers and see how they fare against these creatures. To help you get started, we're sharing a few expert-recommended flowers that are deer-resistant.

Brad LaFoy, land manager at Blackberry Mountain, a 5,200-acre resort in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee
Ali McEnhill, owner and propagator at The Old Dairy Nursery & Gardens
Nicole Dillon, micro flower farmer and owner at Breemar Flower Farm

01 of 15

Blue Sage

Most perennial varieties of blue sage (Salvia azurea) are deer resistant due to their strong fragrance, says Brad LaFoy, land manager at Blackberry Mountain. “With several different varieties boasting a spectrum of color and bloom times, these plants can bring in the pollinators,” he says.

Zones: 5 to 9
Size: 3 to 5 feet tall x 2 to 4 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; average to dry, well-drained soil

02 of 15

Forsythia

Forsythia is one of the first flowers to pop up during spring. It's also deer-resistant and makes a striking statement in early spring arrangements. “These can get quite large, so I suggest dwarf or standard size plants,” says Nicole Dillon, micro flower farmer and owner at Breemar Flower Farm.

Zones: 5 to 8
Size: 3 to 6 feet tall x 3 to 6 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; loose, well-drained soil

03 of 15

Welsh Onion

Any plant in the onion family, including the Welsh onion (Allium fistulosum), will deter deer due to the vegetable's pungent odor. “My favorite of all the beautiful perennial alliums is Welsh onion,” says Ali McEnhill, owner and propagator at The Old Dairy Nursery & Gardens. “It is a delicious, edible perennial with attractive white ovoid flowers and thick, glaucous leaves. It grows quickly and will establish a long-lived clump over time.”

Zones: 6 to 9
Size: 1 to 3 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wide
Care requirements: Full to partial shade; thrives in a variety of soil types

04 of 15

English Lavender

Lavender (Lavandula) is seldom touched by deer thanks to its fragrant, oily foliage—yet humans and pollinators can’t seem to get enough. “We grow true English lavender for its exceptionally fragrant foliage and flowers,” says McEnhill.

Dillon agrees that lavender is a great deer-resistant addition to a cutting garden. “It can be used fresh or dried, giving it a large cutting window,” she says. “If you have clay soil, you can grow lavender in pots as they do not like wet feet.”

Zones: 5 to 8
Size: 12 to 18 inches tall x 12 to 18 inches wide
Care requirements: Full sun; average, well-drained alkaline soil

05 of 15

Bee Balm

Bee balm (Monarda fistulosa) is a native perennial that's a heavy hitter when it comes to attracting pollinators. “This is another fragrant bloomer, and deer don't seem to have a taste for this plant, either,” says LaFoy.

Zones: 3 to 9
Size: 2 to 4 feet tall x 2 to 3 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; dry to medium, well-drained soil

06 of 15

Floss Flower

Not only does floss flower (Ageratum houstonianum) have a very fuzzy texture that makes it unappealing to deer, it also has a beautiful purple-blue color that blends in easily in the garden, says Dillon.

Zones: 2 to 11
Size: 6 to 30 inches tall x 6 to 30 inches wide
Care requirements: Full sun; average, moist, well-drained soil

07 of 15

Fennel

Common fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) makes a beautifully fragrant garden plant. The Purpureum variety features dramatic, smoky, bronze foliage that makes a real statement in the garden, says McEnhill. “Fine, frothy foliage is topped by umbels of yellow cow-parsley-like flowers from July through September,” she says. “Flowers are followed by delicious seeds that should be harvested quickly as this plant self-seeds profusely. The fragrant foliage persists well after frost and is one of the great treats of the winter garden, and it’s also a perfect deer deterrent.”

Zones: 4 to 9
Size: 3 to 5 feet tall x 2 to 3 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; moist, well-drained soil

08 of 15

Calamint

Calamint (Calamintha nepeta) is a lovely fragrant plant with slightly fuzzy, somewhat sticky foliage that deer cannot stand. “We like to plant low-growing varieties around our garden borders to deter deer without blocking the garden view,” says McEnhill. For a particularly beautiful variety, consider Blue Cloud Calamint, which creates lovely hillocks of tiny peppermint-scented foliage with pale blue flowers. "Unlike other species of calamint, this one will not seed relentlessly around the garden," she says.

Zones: 5 to 7
Size: 12 to 18 inches tall x 12 to 24 inches wide
Care requirements: Full sun; slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, dry to medium, well-drained soil

09 of 15

Foxglove

Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) boasts tall, dramatic spikes of tubular flowers and contains toxic compounds that repel deer. "“Foxgloves come in all the best spring pastel colors, and although they’re biennials—or short-lived perennials—they are worth the wait and effort," says Dillon.

Zones: 4 to 8
Size: 3 to 5 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wide
Care requirements: Partial shade; average to medium, moist, well-drained soil

10 of 15

Lady's Mantle

Lady's mantle (Alchemilla mollis) is another beautiful plant with fuzzy foliage that deer will not touch. McEnhill likes to use this low grower as garden edging to deter deer from entering the garden. “Greyish-green downy leaves are neatly scalloped and look magical when they catch the morning dew,” she says. “The show continues with an airy display of chartreuse flower sprays in early summer.”

Zones: 3 to 7
Size: 1 to 2 feet x 1 to 2 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; medium moisture, well-drained soil

11 of 15

Coreopsis

Many varieties of coreopsis can handle a host of growing conditions, including drought resistance. “With their ornate, long-lasting blooms, these flowers definitely attract the pollinators, making them a great addition to any garden," says LaFoy.

Zones: 4 to 9 (depending on variety)
Size: 6 to 60 inches tall x 6 to 36 inches wide
Care requirements: Full sun; dry to medium moisture, well-drained soil

12 of 15

Daffodils

Daffodils (Narcissus) emit a sticky sap when picked, making it difficult for deer to eat. These long-lived perennials like to naturalize an area, so you can enjoy them for many years without worry. Dillon recommends planting several different varieties based on bloom time for a longer spring show.

Zones: 4 to 8
Size: 6 to 30 inches tall x 6 to 12 inches wide
Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; average, medium moisture, well-drained soil

13 of 15

Coneflower

Coneflower (Echinacea) has daisy-like flowers with spiky raised centers that deter deer from browsing. This group comes in almost every color, including bright lime green and hot pink, muted cantaloupe tones, and deep cranberry, says Dillon.

Coneflowers also do a great job of seeding themselves and colonizing, so make sure to leave the spent blooms on or nearby. “They are another great addition to a garden as they can also be used as an herb,” says LaFoy.

Zones: 5 to 8
Size: 2 to 3 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; average, well-drained soil

14 of 15

Peonies

Peonies (Paeonia) produce large, fragrant blooms that are irresistible to any flower lover. “I have over 150 in an unprotected area with a family of deer that graze regularly,” Dillon says. “Occasionally, they will step on one, but they have never eaten them.”

Zones: 3 to 8 (depending on variety)
Size: 1 to 5 feet x 2 to 3 feet wide (depending on variety)
Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; fertile, well-drained soil

15 of 15

Yarrow

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is a hard-working, tough bloomer that brings in the pollinators and blooms from late spring until first frost, says LaFoy. “There are several different varieties that can really boost the color interest in a garden bed, but deer seem to steer clear of this fragrant, low-growing plant," she says.