Can you supply a list of deer resistant plants?
Answer
It’s hard to come up with bullet proof lists of plants that deer hate, but there are some plants that they are less likely to eat. "The trick to having a garden in deer country” writes Dr. Roxanne Malé-Brune of Ohio University, "is making sure your garden is not the best buffet in town."
We’ve compiled a resource list called Deer in the Garden and attach it as a link, below. It contains videos, book lists and websites on deer and their control. The page of web sites includes several lists of plants resistant to deer.
Additionally, we’ve just added this book to the library:
Clausen, Ruth, 50 Beautiful Deer-Resistant Plants : The Prettiest Annuals, Perennials, Bulbs, and Shrubs That Deer Don't Eat (Timber Press, 2011). According to Clausen, “many stunning plants are unpalatable to deer because of their poisonous compounds, fuzzy or aromatic leaves, tough, spiny or bristly textures” although she does concede that no plant is 100% deer-proof. The bulk of the book consists of plant profiles of her selections of annuals, perennials, shrubs, ferns, bulbs, herbs and grasses that are highly ornamental but have been shown to be resistant to deer. Plants are rated for their deer resistance and the most resistant – those in the 7 to 10 category on a scale of 1 to 10, are included in this book.