Plant guide
Deer resistant shrubs
Deer tend to avoid plants with thorns, strong scents, tough or fuzzy leaves, or bitter or toxic foliage. The plants below are ones deer usually pass by.
No plant is completely deer-proof. When food is scarce, especially in late winter, hungry deer will browse almost anything. Protect new plantings for the first season where deer pressure is heavy.
Gartenmeister® plants in this guide (24)
For full sun
Glacierra™ Juniper
Flowerfesta® Pink Lilac
Sensation Lilac
Towers of Flowers® Apple Blossom Weigela
Aurielle™ Barberry
Chrysalis™ Blue Butterfly Bush
Chrysalis™ Cranberry Butterfly Bush
Chrysalis™ Pink Butterfly Bush
Chrysalis™ Purple Butterfly Bush
Photo coming soonBarista® Cherry Mocha Crape Myrtle
Photo coming soonBarista® Sweet Macchiato Crape Myrtle
For part shade or shade
Photo coming soonFlorAmore® Lavender Azalea
Concorde Barberry
Admiration Barberry
Golden Rocket Barberry
Orange Rocket Barberry
Little Missy Boxwood
Honeybee™ Bush Honeysuckle
Flaming Silver Pieris
Little Heath Pieris
Photo coming soonEternal Fragrance Daphne
Black Tower Elderberry
Photo coming soonCrown Jewel Gardenia
Color Guard Yucca
Tips for success
Protect new plants
Freshly planted, fertilized shrubs are the most tempting. Use netting or a repellent spray for the first season.
Mix it up
Surround favorite plants that deer do eat with deer-resistant, strongly scented or thorny shrubs.
Rotate repellents
If you use sprays, switch products now and then so deer don't get used to one scent.
Frequently asked questions
What shrubs will deer not eat?
Deer usually avoid barberry, pieris, juniper, boxwood, butterfly bush, lilac, daphne and yucca.
What are deer resistant shrubs for shade?
Pieris (Flaming Silver, Little Heath), Little Missy boxwood and FlorAmore® Lavender azalea are good choices for part shade.
What are deer resistant flowering shrubs?
Chrysalis™ butterfly bush, Flowerfesta® Pink lilac, Sensation lilac, Eternal Fragrance daphne, Crown Jewel gardenia and Towers of Flowers® Apple Blossom weigela.