ground covers

Deer, though native to our area and very cute, can do untold damage to your garden overnight.

A 6-8’ deer-proof fence is the best insurance against damage but will only send the deer into your neighbors’ yards, which doesn’t solve the problem.

Allowing deer to access some of your property and landscaping, with awareness of deer feeding habits, can help reduce costly plant damage and may be more aesthetically pleasing as well.

This list is meant to be used as a general guide, keeping in mind that there are many variables affecting levels of damage.

Deer population fluctuations, human population shifts, and the availability of natural food sources are just a few examples. The time of year and the taste preferences of individual deer will also affect the plants browsed.

The “deer resistant” plants listed here are hardy in the Portland area.

Temporary Barriers

Any small, recently planted plants are especially prone to being yanked up from the ground. Young trees are vulnerable until they have grown to 4’ minimum.

Several types of mini-barriers can be constructed at home, or are available for purchase. These are intended to be set up for plant protection until plants are sturdy and large enough.

Mini fences to protect individual plants or small beds should be 5’ high and staked to the ground.

Tree guards protect tree trunks from antler rubbing and are wrapped around any size trunk, then cut to fit. These can be made from chicken wire and are also commercially available.

Tender bud tips of young conifers can be protected by simply a sleeve of folded and stapled paper over them until they harden a bit.

Deer Resistant Plants

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Perennials, Bulbs, Grasses, Herbs

  • Achillea spp. - Yarrow
  • Agapanthus africanus - Lily of the Nile
  • Ajuga spp. - Carpet Bugle
  • Allium schoenoprasum - Garden Chive
  • Aquilegia spp. - Columbine
  • Arabis spp. - Rockcress
  • Armeria spp. - Thrift, Sea Pink
  • Artemisia spp. - Artemisia
  • Arundo donax - Giant Reed
  • Asarum spp. - Wild Ginger
  • Aster spp. - Aster
  • Astilbe spp. - False Spiraea
  • Campanula poscharskyana - Serbian Bellflower
  • Carex spp. - Sedge
  • Cerastium tomentosum - Snow in Summer
  • Ceratostigma plumbaginoides - Plumbago
  • Centranthus ruber - Jupiter’s Beard
  • Coreopsis spp. - Tickseed
  • Crocosmia crocosmiflora - Crocosmia
  • Crocus spp. - Crocus
  • Dahlia spp. - Dahlia
  • Delphinium spp. - Delphinium
  • Dicentra spp. - Bleeding Heart
  • Digitalis spp. - Foxglove
  • Echinacea spp. - Coneflower
  • Erigeron spp. - Fleabane
  • Eryngium spp. - Sea Holly
  • Erysimum spp. - Wallflower
  • Euphorbia spp. - Spurge
  • Festuca glauca - Blue Fescue
  • Fragraria spp. - Wild Strawberry
  • Frittilaria spp. - Fritillary
  • Gaillardia aristata - Blanket Flower
  • Helianthemum spp. - Sunrose
  • Helleborus spp. - Hellebore
  • Hemerocallis spp. - Daylily
  • Hosta spp. - Plantain Lily
  • Hyssopus officinalis - Hyssop
  • Iris spp. - Iris

Perennials, Bulbs, Grasses, Herbs (cont'd)

  • Knifofia spp. - Red Hot Poker
  • Lavendula spp. - Lavender
  • Leucojum spp. - Snowflake
  • Liatris spp. - Gayfeather
  • Lithodora diffusa - Lithodora
  • Lupinus spp. - Lupine
  • Mentha spp. - Mint
  • Miscanthus sinensis - Silver Grass
  • Monarda spp. - Beebalm
  • Narcissus spp. - Daffodil, Narcissus
  • Origanum marjorana - Sweet Marjoram
  • Origanum vulgare - Oregano
  • Oxalis oregona - Redwood Sorrel
  • Papaver spp. - Poppy
  • Phlomis spp. - Phlomis
  • Polygonatum spp. - Soloman’s Seal
  • Pulmonaria spp. - Lungwort
  • Rosmarinus officinalis - Rosemary
  • Romneya coulteri - Matilija Poppy
  • Rudbeckia spp. - Blackeyed Susan
  • Ruta graveolens - Rue
  • Santolina spp. - Cotton Lavender
  • Sedum spp. - Stonecrop
  • Sisyrinchium spp. - Blue-eyed Grass
  • Thymus spp. - Thyme
  • Trillium spp. - Wake Robin
  • Tulipa spp. - Tulip
  • Zantedaschia spp. - Calla Lily
  • Zauchneria spp. - California Fuchsia

Shrubs and Climbers

  • Abelia x grandiflora - Glossy Abelia
  • Arctostaphylos spp. - Manzinita
  • Berberis spp. - Barberry
  • Buxus sempervirens - Boxwood
  • Calluna vulgaris - Scotch Heather
  • Calycanthus occidentalis - Spicebush
  • Celastrus scandens - American Bittersweet
  • Chamaerops humilis - European Fan Palm
  • Choisya ternata - Mexican Orange

Shrubs and Climbers (cont'd)

  • Clematis spp. - Clematis
  • Corylus spp. - Hazelnut, Filbert
  • Cornus sericea - Redtwig Dogwood
  • Elaeagnus pungens - Silverberry
  • Garrya elliptica - Silktassel
  • Jasminum nudiflorum - Winter Jasmine
  • Juniperus spp. - Juniper
  • Kalmia latifolia - Mountain Laurel
  • Lonicera spp. - Honeysuckle
  • Mahonia spp. - Oregon Grape
  • Myrica californica - Wax Myrtle
  • Pachystima myrsinites - Oregon Boxwood
  • Potentilla fruticosa - Cinquefoil
  • Ribes sanguinium - Red Flowering Currant
  • Rhododendron spp. - Rhododendron
  • Sambucus spp. - Elderberry
  • Spiraea spp. - Spiraea
  • Symphocarpus spp. - Snowberry
  • Syringa spp. - Lilac
  • Vaccinium ovatum - Evergreen Huckleberry
  • Wisteria spp. - Wisteria

Trees

  • Abies spp. - Fir
  • Acacia spp. - Acacia
  • Betula spp. - Birch
  • Chamaecyparis spp. - False Cypress
  • Ficus carica - Fig
  • Fraxinus spp. - Ash
  • Ginkgo biloba - Maidenhair Tree
  • Lithocarpus densiflorus - Tan Oak
  • Picea spp. - Spruce
  • Quercus spp. - Oak
  • Rhus spp. - Sumac
  • Sequoia sempervirens - Coast Redwood
  • Tilia cordata - Littleleaf Linden
  • Tsuga spp. - Hemlock
  • Umbellaria californica - California Laurel