Sometimes the damage they cause is merely cosmetic, and the plant can recover.
Below are some great examples of deer-resistant shrubs.
What Deters Deer From Certain Shrubs?
The Spruce / Yurle Villegas
Deer are also deterred by unpleasant odors and physical barriers such as fences.
Tip
Remember “deer-resistant” is not “deer-proof.”
Male deer will also rub their antlers against the stems of shrubs which causes another key in of damage.
The Spruce / Cara Cormack
This makes them a very popular choice for hedges.
They’re fairly low maintenance, except for anannual pruningto maintain their shape and remove unhealthy portions.
Meanwhile,blue rug juniper(Juniperus horizontalis’Blue Rug') often serves as a ground cover on hillsides.
The Spruce / K. Dave
Another good option of juniper includes the dwarf Japanese garden juniper (Juniperus procumbens’Nana').
This deer-resistant shrub bears reddish fall foliage and bluish berries in addition to white flowers in the spring.
It grows to roughly 6 to 10 feet but can get even taller in the right conditions.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Prune the shrub once a year after it’s done flowering to control its height.
The smell is what makes deer recoil and avoid eating the plant.
If you have small kids or pets, this is important to keep in mind.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
This shrub is afavorite of many pollinators, and it’s drought-tolerant.
But while bees and butterflies like its flowers, the plant’s heavy scent repels deer.
To keep the plant well-shaped and flowering, cut it back by about half in the early spring.
The Spruce / Letícia Almeida
Also, prune dead and diseased parts as needed.
These plants are magnets for pollinatorshence their common namebut deer tend to avoid them.
They also require little care.
The Spruce / David Beaulieu
Pruning is optional if you wish to keep the bush compact with more prolific flowers.
Candy Oh is a favored variety known for its fragrance and vibrant coloring.
It produces beautiful blooms for most of the summer and will attract many pollinators to your garden.
The Spruce / Autumn Wood
In general,prune rosesin the early spring before blooms start to show.
It is the fragrance of bayberry that deters deer from eating it.
The plant also is tolerant of drought, erosion, and salt.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
Daphne
‘Carol Mackie’Daphne(Daphnexburkwoodii’Carol Mackie’) is a variegated bush withextremely fragrant flowers.
Japanese barberry loves well-drained soil and full sun.
If you have young children and pets, Japanese barberry is mildly toxic to humans and toxic to dogs.
The Spruce / K. Dave
Silky dogwood has a moderately fast growth rate.
At maturity, silky dogwood can grow between 6 and 12 feet in height and width.
Silky dogwood has a number of benefits, includingerosion control.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
As well, it attracts beautiful wildlife including butterflies, bees, and birds.
It does not attract deer, however.
Rose of Sharon
Rose of Sharon(Hibiscus syriacus) is a species of the hibiscus plant.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Flowers will reach 3 inches in diameter.
Flowers arrive in various colors and often have a darker-colored center.
Rose of Sharon does best with full sun and partialshadeand moist, well-drained soil.
The Spruce / Autumn Wood
It can live up to 20-30 years.
Blooming during the springtime, elderberry will sprout white flowers.
In the autumn, elderberry will don fruits.
The Spruce / David Karoki
It grows between 13 to 24 inches in height per year.
The best time to plant weigela is in the spring or in autumn.
Weigela does best in full-sun environments.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Plant in moist but well-drained soil.
Dwarf Mugo Pine
Dwarf mugopine (Pinus mugo) is a small variety of the mugo pine.
It grows between 2 to 3 feet in height and between 3 to 5 feet wide at maturity.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Dwarf mugo pines need full sun and to be watered regularly while it is getting established.
Forsythia
Forsythiais a shrub that grows fast, adding up to 24 inches in a single year.
While forsythia won’t attract deer, it will welcome butterflies and bees.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
It has a lifespan of 50 years or more.
It grows beautiful white flowers but will need full sun for at least six hours daily to grow best.
It loves well-draining soil but is adaptable to various types of soil including loam, sand, and clay.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
It has an upright growth habit and will reach heights between 6 to 10 feet at maturity.
The false cypress does not need pruning but light pruning can be done in the summer if desired.
These trees work great as hedges, accent trees, or as privacy walls.
Catherine McQueen / Getty Images
These are hardy trees, able to tolerate cold temperatures.
Plant an emerald green arborvitae in the fall for best results.
Native to Siberia, the Russian cypress is slow-growing.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
It can reach heights of 15 feet at maturity.
Do note, the Russian cypress will need protection from the wind.
Spirea
Spireais a perennial shrub.
Kwhisky / Getty Images
It has around 80 species, with plenty of cultivars and hybrids to choose from.
Spirea is easy to grow and also to maintain.
Depending on the species, spirea can reach heights anywhere between 1 foot to 20 feet tall.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Spirea loves neutral soil that is loamy and well-draining.
It is aptly named for its peeling bark, which reveals itself in layers when the plant matures.
When given enough space to grow, ninebark can reach 3-10 ft tall and 3-8 ft wide.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
All of ninebark’s eight species are deer-resistant.
It is often used to create a border or hedge.
The plant’s attractive glossy leaves are toxic to pets.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Deutzia
Deutzia (Deutziaspp.)
is a deciduous shrub from the hydrangea family.
Its fragrant flowers bloom from spring to early summer and attract pollinators like hummingbirds and butterflies.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
This plant is toxic to humans.
A good option with thorns is a rose shrub.
For odor, Juniper and Andromeda are great picks.
Deer particularly love evergreen azalea.
Pieris, ASPCA
Daphne x Burkwoodii ‘Carole Mackie’,North Carolina State University Extension
Berberis thunbergii.
North Carolina State University Extension.
Are barberry bushes poisonous to dogs?Landscape Science.
Elderberry, Pet Poison Helpline
Elderberry, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Help
Currants.
‘Royal Purple’ Smoketree.University of Kentucky.
