Deer-Resistant Plants
St. Augustine & Northeast Florida
Why Deer Resist These Plants
- Strong Scents: Aromatic oils in rosemary, lavender, and sage overwhelm deer’s sensitive nose.
- Fuzzy/Prickly Texture: Lamb’s ear, yucca, and holly are unpleasant for deer to eat.
- Toxic Compounds: Oleander, lantana contain compounds deer instinctively avoid.
- Bitter Taste: Herbs and ornamental grasses discourage browsing.
Design Strategies
- Barrier Planting: Wax Myrtle, Oleander, Yaupon as a "fence." Deer won’t push through to reach plants they like.
- Scent Layering: Intermix Rosemary, Lavender, Salvia throughout beds. Combined scents confuse and deter.
- Texture Mixing: Combine Dusty Miller (fuzzy), Yucca (prickly), and Holly (spiny) for uninviting palette.
- Sacrificial Planting: Plant a "deer buffet" (clover, hostas) in a far corner to draw them away from prized plants.
Sample Foundation Planting
- Against House: 3 Bottlebrush (evergreen, red flowers, 6’)
- Mid Layer: 5 Plumbago (blue, 3-4’) + 3 Rosemary (aromatic, woody, 3’)
- Front Edge: Mass of Lantana (groundcover, multi-color, 1-2’)
- Corners: Yucca or Agave (architectural accent, spiky deterrent)
Additional Protection Methods
- Physical Barriers: 8’ fence (deer jump 6’), netting over beds, wire cages for prized plants.
- Repellents: Rotate scent-based (Liquid Fence) and taste-based (hot pepper) sprays every 2-4 weeks.
- Motion Deterrents: Motion-activated sprinklers startle deer without harming them.
- Layered Defense: Best results combine resistant plants + barrier planting + repellents + deterrents.
Deer-Resistant Plants in Our Collection
Abelia · Adam's Needle · African Iris · Agave · Alocasia · Angelonia · Autograph Tree · Basil · Bay Laurel · Beautyberry · Blue Daze · Bottlebrush · Bougainvillea · Boxwood · Bulbine Lily · Bush Daisy · Butterfly Bush · Canna Lily · Cleome · Cosmos · Cucumber · Dianthus · Dracaena · Dumb Cane · Golden Dewdrop · Heartleaf Philodendron · Indian Hawthorn · Jatropha · Lamb's Ear · Lanceleaf Coreopsis · Lavender · Leopard Plant · Ligustrum · Lobster Claw · Loropetalum · Mandevilla · Marigold · Marjoram · Mat Rush · Mint · Nandina · Oregano · Oregon Grape Holly · Perennial Peanut · Periwinkle · Pineapple Guava · Plumbago · Plumeria · Podocarpus · Rosemary · Salvia · Sedum · Shumard Oak · Simpson's Stopper · Society Garlic · Spider Plant · Spotted Bee Balm · Texas Sage · Yarrow · Zinnia
Browse all 60plants in our full guide →