Deer Resistant Plants
Please note that very few plants are fully deer proof! Our Deer resistant list should be used only as a reference.
Indicated below are some of the plants that we have found to be unattractive to the deer in gardens in and around the Nanaimo area. Keep in mind, that Deer feeding patterns are affected by other factors such as, drought, over population , loss of habitat , snow, and presence of dogs. Click on the links below for full details.
Annuals
Bulbs - Fall
Bulbs - Spring
Conifers - Junipers
Conifers - Misc
Conifers - Pines
Conifers - Spruce
Ground Cover
Japanese Maples
Ornamental Grasses
Ornamental Trees
Perennials
Shrubs - Broadleaf Evergreen - Shade Loving
Shrubs Broadleaf Evergreen - Sun Loving
Shrubs - Deciduous
Vines
Bulbs - Fall
Bulbs - Spring
Conifers - Junipers
Conifers - Misc
Conifers - Pines
Conifers - Spruce
Ground Cover
Japanese Maples
Ornamental Grasses
Ornamental Trees
Perennials
Shrubs - Broadleaf Evergreen - Shade Loving
Shrubs Broadleaf Evergreen - Sun Loving
Shrubs - Deciduous
Vines
| Botanical Name | Common Name |
|---|---|
| Ageratum | Floss Flower |
| Artemisia | Silver Mound |
| Aster | Aster |
| Begonia - Fibrous | Begonia - Fibrous |
| Begonia - Tuberous | Begonia - Tuberous |
| Brachycome | Swan River Daisy |
| Calendula | Pot Marigold |
| Campanula | Bell Flower |
| Chrysanthemum | Chrysanthemum |
| Centaurea | Centaurea |
| Cleome | Spider Flower |
| Clarkia amoena | Godetia |
| Cosmos | Cosmos |
| Dahlia | Dahlia |
| Dianthus | Pinks |
| Dusty Miller | Dusty Miller |
| Euryops | Euryops |
| Felicia Blue | Blue Marguerite |
| Gaillardia | Basket Flower |
| Gazania | Gazania |
| Geranium - Scented | Geranium - Scented |
| Herbs | Herbs |
| Helianthus | Strawflower |
| Heliotrope | Heliotrope |
| Lamium | Dead Nettle |
| Lantana | Lantana |
| Lobelia | Lobelia |
| Lobularia martima | Alyssum |
| Marigolds | Marigolds |
| Mimulus | Monkey Flower |
| Marguerite Daisy | Marguerite Daisy |
| Myosotis | Forget-Me-Not |
| Nepeta | Creeping Charlie |
| Nicotiana | Flowering Tobacco |
| Osteospermum | African Daisy |
| Pennisetum 'Rubrum' | Red Fountain Grass |
| Ricinus | Castor Oil Plant |
| Rudbeckia | Black-eyed Susan |
| Salvia 'Victoria Blue' | Salvia 'Victoria Blue' |
| Scabiosa | Pincushion Flower |
| Scaevola | Blue Fan |
| Senecio | Dusty Miller |
| Solanum jasminoides | Potato Vine |
| Statice | Statice |
| Verbena | Verbena |
| Zinnia | Zinnia |
| Botanical Name | Common Name |
|---|---|
| Allium | Ornamental Onion |
| Artemisia | Artemisia |
| Brodiaea | Grass Nut, Queen Fabiola |
| Chiondoxa | Glory-of-the-Snow |
| Colchicum | Autumn Crocus |
| Crocus | Crocus |
| Cyclamen | Cyclamen |
| Eranthis | Winter aconite |
| Freesia | Freesia |
| Fritillaria | Fritillaria |
| Galanthus | Snowdrops |
| Hyacinth | Hyacinth |
| Iris | Iris |
| Ixia | African Corn Flower |
| Leucojum | Snowflake |
| Muscari | Grape Hyacinth |
| Narcissus | Daffodil |
| Ornithogalum | Star of Bethlehem |
| Oxalis | Shamrock |
| Puschkina | Puschkina |
| Scilla | Bluebell |
| Triteleia uniflora | Spring Star Flower |
| Botanical Name | Common Name |
|---|---|
| Anenome | Anenome |
| Begonia - Tuberous | Begonia - Tuberous |
| Dahlia | Dahlia |
| Freesia | Freesia |
| Iris | Iris |
| Ixia | African Corn Flower |
| Oxalis | Shamrock |
| Botanical Name | Common Name |
|---|---|
| Juniperus chinensis Hetzii Glauca | Hetz Glauca Juniper |
| Juniperus chinensis Old Gold | Old Gold juniper |
| Juniperus chinensis Pfitzer aurea | Golden pfitzer Juniper |
| Juniperus procumbens Nana | Dwf. Japanese Juniper |
| Juniperus sabina tamariscifolia | Tam Juniper |
| Juniperus scop. Grizzly Bear | Grizzly Bear Juniper |
| Juniperus scop. MoonGlow | MoonGlow Juniper |
| Juniperus scop. Wichita | Wichita Blue Juniper |
| Juniperus Squamata Blue Star | Blue Star Juniper |
| Botanical Name | Common Name |
|---|---|
| Abies balsamae nana | Dwf. Balsam Fir |
| Cedrus deodara | Deodara Cedar |
| Cedrus deodara 'Feeling Blue' | Feeling Blue Creeping Deodara |
| Chamaecyparis pis fil Aurea nana | Gold Thread Cypress |
| Cuppressocyparis leylandii | Leyland Cypress |
| Podocarpus alpinus Blue gem | Blue Gem Podocarpus |
| Sequiodadendron Gigantium | Giant Sequoia |
| Thuja plicata Excelsa | Western Red Cedar |
| Tsuga canadensis nana Gracilis | Dwf Hemlock |
| Tsuga canadensis Pendula | Weeping Hemlock |
| Botanical Name | Common Name |
|---|---|
| Pinus cembra Blue Mound | Swiss stone Pine |
| Pinus densiflora umb. Tanyosho | Tanyosho Pine |
| Pinus flexilis vanderwulf | Vanderwulf Pine |
| Pinus leucodermis Compact Gem | Dwf. Bosnian Pine |
| Pinus muga Pumillio | Dwf. Mugo Pine |
| Pinus mugo mughus | Mugo Pine |
| Pinus nigra | Austrian Pine |
| Pinus nigra Select Green | Select Green Black Pine |
| Pinus parviflora brevifolia | Brevifolian White Pine |
| Pinus parviflora glauca | Glauce Japanese White Pine |
| Pinus parviflora Templehoff | Templehoff Jap. White Pine |
| Pinus strobu contorta | Contorted Eastern White Pine |
| Pinus strobus fastigiata | Columnar Eastern White Pine |
| Pinus strobus nana | Dwf. Eastern White Pine |
| Pinus strobus Pendula | Weeping Eastern White Pine |
| Pinus sylvestris Aurea | Golden Scotch Pine |
| Pinus sylvestris Beacon Hill | Beacon Hill Dwf. Scotch Pine |
| Pinus sylvestris viridis | Lamb's Tail Pine |
| Pinus sylvestris Waterii | Dwf. Scotch Pine |
| Pinus thunbergii Banshoho | Banshoho Pine |
| Pinus thunbergii Yatsubusa | Yatsubusa Pine |
| Botanical Name | Common Name |
|---|---|
| Picea abies acrocona | Acrocona Norway Spruce |
| Picea abies little gem | Little Gem Norway Spruce |
| Picea abies nidiformis | Bird's Nest Spruce |
| Picea abies ohlendorfii | Dwf. Norway Spruce |
| Picea abies pendula | Weeping Norway spruce |
| Picea breweriana | Brewers Spruce |
| Picea glauca albertiana conica | Dwf. Alberta Spruce |
| Picea glauca albertiana globe | Dwf. Globe Alberta Spruce |
| Picea glauca echiniformis | Echiniformis White Spruce |
| Picea likiagensis purpurea | Purple spruce |
| Picea omorika Bruns | Bruns Serbian Spruce |
| Picea omorika nana | Dwf. Serbian Spruce |
| Picea orientalis aurea | Oriental Spruce |
| Picea pungens Bakerii | Bakerii Blue Spruce |
| Picea pungens Blue Eyes | Blue Eyes Blue Spruce |
| Picea pungens Fastigiata | Columnar Blue Spruce |
| Picea pungens Fat albert | Fat Albert Blue Spruce |
| Picea pungens Globosa | Globe Blue Spruce |
| Picea pungens Hoopsii | Hoopsii Blue Spruce |
| Picea pungens Iseli Foxtail | Foxtail Blue Spruce |
| Botanical Name | Common Name |
|---|---|
| Ajuga | Carpet Bugle |
| Arctostaphylos | kinnikinnick |
| Arenaria verna | Irish Moss |
| Cotoneaster | Cotoneaster |
| Galium odoratum | Sweet Woodruff |
| Gaultheria shallon | Salal |
| Hedra helix | English Ivy |
| Lithodora diffusa | Lithodora |
| Pachysandra terminalis | Japanese Spurge |
| Sagina subulata aurea | Scotch Moss |
| Thymus | Thyme Ass't Varieties |
| Vinca | Vinca |
| Corsican Mint | Corsican Mint |
| Botanical Name | Common Name |
|---|---|
| Acer palm dissectum 'Crimson queen' | Crimson Queen Japanese Maple |
| Acer palm dissectum 'Red dragon' | Red Dragon Japanese Maple |
| Acer palm dissectum 'Red Spider' | Red Spider Japanese Maple |
| Acer palm dissectum 'Waterfall' | Waterfall Japanese Maple |
| Acer palmatum | Japanese Maple |
| Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum' | Red Japanese Maple |
| Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood' | Bloodgood Japanese Maple |
| Acer palmatum 'Burgundy Lace' | Burgundy lace Japanese Maple |
| Acer palmatum 'Butterfly' | Butterfly Japanese Maple |
| Acer palmatum 'Cripsii' | Cripsii Japanese Maple |
| Acer palmatum 'Fidam' | Fidam Japanese Maple |
| Acer palmatum diss. 'Garnet' | Garnet Japanese Maple |
| Acer palmatum diss 'Inabe Shidare' | Inabe Shidare Japanese Maple |
| Acer palmatum 'Koto no ito' | Koto no ito Japanese Maple |
| Acer palmatum 'Lion Heart' | Lion Heart Japanese Maple |
| Acer palmatum 'Osakazuki' | Osakazuki Japanese Maple |
| Acer palmatum 'Oshio Beni' | Oshio Beni Japanese Maple |
| Acer palmatum 'Red pygmy' | Red Pygmy Japanese Maple |
| Acer palmatum sango kaku | Coral Bark Japanese Maple |
| Acer palmatum 'Seiryu' | Seiryu Japanese Maple |
| Acer palmatum 'Shania' | Shaina Japanese Maple |
| Acer palmatum 'Shishigashira' | Shishigashira Japanese Maple |
| Acer palmatum shojo | Shojo Japanese Maple |
| Acer palmatum 'Shojo Nomura' | Shojo Nomura Japanese Maple |
| Acer palmatum 'Sumanigashi' | Sumanigashi Japanese Maple |
| Acer palmatum 'Trompenburg' | Trompenburg Japanese Maple |
| Acer palmatum 'Tsukushigata' | Tsukushigata Japanese Maple |
| Acer shirasawanum 'Full Moon' | Full Moon Maple |
| Botanical Name | Common Name |
|---|---|
| Carex buchananii | Leather Leaf Sedge |
| Carex morrowii Ice Dance | Ice Dance Sedge |
| Festcuca Glauca Pepindale Blue | Blue Fescue |
| Helictotrichon semp. Sapphire | Blue Oat Grass |
| Imperata cylindrica Red Baron | Japanse Blood Grass |
| Carex elata Bowles Golden | Bowles Golden Sedge |
| Phormium | New Zealand Flax |
| Stipa tenuissima | Mexican Feather Grass |
| Carex albula 'Frosty Curls' | Frosty Curls Sedge |
| Carex coman's Bronze | Bronze Sedge |
| Carex Evergold | Evergold Sedge |
| Carex testacea | Orange Sedge |
Deer will browse up to about shoulder height (5 ft.). Most flowering and shade trees begin to branch above that height and can avoid deer damage. Trees should be pruned to keep all branches out of reach of deer.
| Botanical Name | Common Name |
|---|---|
| Aesculus Carnea 'Briotii' | Pink Flowering Horse Chestnut |
| Aesculus Carnea Tort McNair | Pink Flowering Chestnut |
| Betula 'Jacquimonti' | Himilayan White birch |
| Betula Lanciniata | Cutleaf Weeping Birch |
| Betula papyrifera | Paper Birch |
| Betula pend 'Globosa Nana' | Globe Birch |
| Betula 'Pendula' | European White Birch |
| Betula pendula 'Youngii' | Young's Twisted Birch |
| Carpinus | Red Tipped Hornbeam |
| Catalpa speciosa | Catalpa |
| Cercidiphyllum japonica | Katsura |
| Cercidiphyllum japonica pendula | Weeping Katsura |
| Cercis Canadensis 'Forest Pansy' | Redbud |
| Cornus kousa 'Satomi' | Satomi Dogwood |
| Crataegus Crimson Cloud | Crimson Hawthorn |
| Eleagnus augustifolia | Russian Olive |
| Liriodendron tulipifera | Tulip Tree |
| Fagus syl. Dawickyi Gold | Golden Beech |
| Fagus sylv. 'Tricolor' | Tricolour Beech |
| Fraxinus 'Raywood' | Raywood Ash |
| Gingko Biloba | Maidenhair Tree |
| Laburnum Waterii 'Vossi' | Golden Chain Tree |
| Liquidambar styraciflua | Sweetgum Tree |
| Magnolia Acuminata 'Butterflies' | Magnolia 'Butterflies' |
| Magnolia Denudata | Magnolia 'Denudata' |
| Magnolia 'Galaxy' | Magnolia Galaxy |
| Magnolia k stellata 'Royal Star' | Magnolia Royal Star |
| Magnolia k stellata 'Royal Star' | Magnolia 'Royal Star' |
| Magnolia 'Manchu fan' | Magnolia 'Manchu Fan' |
| Magnolia 'Royal Crown' | Magnolia 'Royal Crown' |
| Magnolia 'Sieboldi' | Magnolia 'Oyama" |
| Magnolia soul 'Rustica Rubra' | Magnolia 'Rustica Rubra' |
| Magnolia 'Spectrum' | Magnolia 'Sprectum' |
| Magnolia 'Vulcan' | Magnolia 'Vulcan' |
| Magnolia x Loeb 'Leonard Messil' | Magnolia 'Leonard Messil' |
| Malus Red Jewel | Red Jewel Flw. Crabap. |
| Malus Louisa | Louisa Flw Crabapple |
| Malus Lizet | Lizet Flw. Crabapple |
| Malus Red Sentinel | Red Sentinel Crabapple |
| Platanus x acerifolia | London Plane Sycamore |
| Populus nigra italica | Lombardy Poplar |
| Populus tremuloides | Quaking Aspen |
| Populus tremuloides 'Erecta' | Swedish Columnar Aspen |
| Prunus 'Cistena' | Purple leaf Sandcherry |
| Prunus 'Maackii' | Amur Chokeherry |
| Prunus pissardii nigra | Purple leaf Flowering Plum |
| Prunus Purple Haze | Purple Haze Flowering Plum |
| Prunus s. Amanagawa | Amanagawa Flowering Cherry |
| Prunus s. Shirofugen | Shirofugen Flowering Cherry |
| Prunus s. Shirotae | Mt Fuji Flowering Cherry |
| Prunus Virg. 'Midnight' | Schubert Chokecherry |
| Prunus y 'Akebono' | Akebono Flowering Cherry |
| Pyrus call. 'Chanticleer' | Flowering Pear |
| Quercus coccinea | Scarlet Oak |
| Quercus macrocarpa | Burr Oak |
| Quercus palustris | Pin Oak |
| Rhus glabra | Smooth sumac |
| Rhus typhina | Staghorn sumac |
| Botanical Name | Common Name |
|---|---|
| Acanthus | Bear's Breech |
| Achillea | Yarrow |
| Agapanthus | Lily of the Nile |
| Agastache | Anise Hyssop |
| Armeria | Sea Thrift |
| Astilbe | Astilbe |
| Aubretia | Rock Cress |
| Caryopteris | Blue Beard |
| Cerastium | Snow in Summer |
| Cistus | Rock Rose |
| Crocosmia | Monbretia |
| Dahlia | Dahlia |
| Dicentra | Bleeding Heart |
| Digitalis | Fox Glove |
| Echinacea | Cone Flower |
| Erysimum | Wall Flower |
| Euphorbia | Euphorbia |
| Helleborus | Helleborus |
| Hemerocallis | Day Lily |
| Iberis | Candy tuft |
| Iris | Iris |
| Kniphofia | Red Hot Poker |
| Lavender | Lavender |
| Liatris | Gay Feather |
| Monarda | Bee Balm |
| Myosotis | Forget me Not |
| Nepeta | Catmint |
| Papaver | Oriental Poppy |
| Peony | Peony |
| Perovskia | Russian Sage |
| Phlox subulata | Moss Phlox |
| Rosmarinus officinalis | Rosemary |
| Rudbeckia hirta | Black eyed Susan |
| Salvia | Sage |
| Santolina | Lavender Cotton |
| Saxifraga | Saxifrage |
| Stychly lanata | Lamb's Ear |
| Verbascum | Common Mullein |
| Verbena | Verbena |
| Veronica | Speedwell |
| Zantendeschia | Calla Lily |
| Botanical Name | Common Name |
|---|---|
| Ferns | Ferns |
| Leucothoe Rainbow | Rainbow Leucothoe |
| Rhododendrons | Rhododendrons |
| Sarcococca | Sweet Box |
| Skimmia japonica | Skimmia |
| Botanical Name | Common Name |
|---|---|
| Abelia | Abelia |
| Arbutus unedo | Strawberry Tree |
| Berberis Verruculosa | Warty Barberry |
| Buxus | Boxwood |
| Ceanothus Th. Victoria | California Lilac |
| Choisya Aztec Pearl | Aztec Pearl Mexican Orange |
| Choisya Sundance | Golden Mexican Orange |
| Choisya ternata | Mexican Orange |
| Cistus | Rockrose |
| Cytisus | Scotch Broom |
| Daphne odora | Winter Daphne |
| Erica / Calluna | Heather |
| Genista | Genista |
| Ilex | Holly (some) |
| Leucothoe Scarletta | Scarlet Leucothoe |
| Mahonia | Oregon Grape |
| Nandina | False Bamboo |
| Phyllostachys | Bamboo |
| Pieris japonica | Pieris |
| Pyracantha | Fire thorn |
| Yucca | Yucca |
| Botanical Name | Common Name |
|---|---|
| Azalea dec. | Deciduous Azaleas |
| Berberis thunbergii | Japanese Barberry |
| Buddleia | Butterfly Bush |
| Chaenomeles | Flowering Quince |
| Cotinus cogg. Royal Purple | Purple Smoke Tree |
| Cotinus Golden Spirit | Golden Smoke Tree |
| Forysthia | Forsythia |
| Halimiocistus | Rockrose cross sunrose |
| Kerria japonica | Kerria |
| Kolkwitzia | Beauty Bush |
| Lavatera | Tree mallow |
| Potentilla | Potentilla |
| Ribes | Flowering Currant |
| Syringa | Lilacs |
| Botanical Name | Common Name |
|---|---|
| Jasmine | Jasmine |
| Wisteria | Wisteria |