Deer are Disinclined to Eat These

We can’t quite say “Deer Proof”… but here are a few perennials that stubbornly oppose being eaten. Some actually repel deer. Try these species first if you’re on their migratory route or if you have a herd living in your backyard. Botanical taxonomy has always influenced the organization of Villager Nursery’s perennial benches. We tend to group plants by Family. Over the years we’ve derived a list of perennials which seem to have strong recalcitrance toward the deer in this part of the Sierra. No surprise; we found certain plant families better than others at surviving predation.

Other Deer Repellent Plant Traits

Look for plants with fuzzy, silvery foliage, waxy foliage, or strong fragrance (essential oils). Native plants are often eaten less but only after a couple of years in the ground as they assume the local terroir.

Products and Preparations

Home remedies: Human hair, hot peppers, Irish Spring soap, fox urine, A simple barrier of 20lb-test fishing line. PlantSaver, Yuck!, Plant-Skydd Deer Netting, Bird Netting, Scarecrow motion activated sprinkler, Cocoa Mulch, Yuck!

Thank you Maddox for going through and updating all the scientific family names that have changed in the past few years since updating this list.