DEER RESISTANT PLANTS Recommended for Central and Southeastern NC Landscapes Charlotte Glen, NC Cooperative Extension—Chatham County Center
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North Carolina Cooperative Extension NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEER RESISTANT PLANTS Recommended for Central and Southeastern NC Landscapes Charlotte Glen, NC Cooperative Extension—Chatham County Center Tips on Deer and Plants eer can wreak havoc on a D No plant is deer proof! When hungry, deer will eat landscape in a matter of just a few anything to survive. During stressful times such as nights. There are many options to drought, plants that are usually avoided may be reduce the risk of deer damage in damaged. landscapes, such as applying repellents on a regular basis and Deer will eat almost anything in spring, as tender restricting access through the use of new growth emerges from plants. Deer prefer fencing. One of the easiest ways to vegetation that is soft to the touch and high in water content. They especially relish flower buds. reduce deer damage in your yard is to landscape with plants deer prefer not to eat. This Over fertilized and over watered plants are fact sheet is intended to serve as a guide for particularly lush and appealing to deer. choosing landscape plants resistant to deer feeding Deer resistant does not mean deer proof! in North Carolina. Since a starving deer will eat any- These are plants deer prefer not to eat. Common thing to stay alive, no plant is guaranteed! characteristics of plants that deer prefer not to eat include: Deer Feeding Preferences The plants deer prefer to eat vary from region to Plants with thorny or prickly leaves or stems region and can even change seasonally. In the lists on the following pages, deer feeding preferences are Plants with strong scents and pungent classified as follows: tastes, such as herbs Plants that are poisonous or produce thick, Frequently Damaged latex-like sap Plants that are deer favorites. These are the first Plants with hairy leaves plants deer will seek to feed upon. Occasionally Damaged These are the plants deer will turn to once their Table of Contents favorites are depleted. Trees . 2 Seldom Damaged Evergreen Shrubs . 3 Plants that deer will rarely eat unless there are no Palms . 3 other options. Plants that are in bold print are Deciduous Shrubs . 4 extremely resistant to deer feeding. Ornamental Grasses . 4 Using a combination of a variety of methods to Groundcovers . 5 deter deer will give the most dependable results. To Ferns . 5 find out more about additional strategies to mini- Vines . 5 mize deer damage in your landscape, visit the online Perennials . 6 publications listed in the Learn More section at the Bulbs . 7 end of this fact sheet. Annuals . 7 2 LANDSCAPE TREES Occasionally Damaged Deer injure trees in Common Name Scientific Name two ways: By eating Japanese Maple Acer palmatum foliage and twigs, and Red Maple* Acer rubrum by rubbing against Serviceberry* Amelanchier species the bark with their Dogwood* Cornus florida antlers, which is Kousa Dogwood Cornus kousa especially damaging Witch Hazel Hamamelis species to young trees or those with thin bark. Wire cylinders and other ‘Foster's’ Holly* protective devices are available to protect the ‘Savannah’ Holly* Ilex x attenuata hybrids trunks of young trees from this type of damage. ‘East Palatka’ Holly* ‘Nellie Stevens’ Holly Ilex x ‘Nellie Stevens’ Goldenrain Tree Koelreuteria paniculata The shape and mature size of a tree will great- Saucer Magnolia Magnolia soulangiana ly determine its susceptibility to grazing dam- Dawn Redwood Metasequoia glyptostroboides age. Damage is most common on trees that are Bradford Pear Pyrus calleryana either young and still small enough to reach, Oaks* Quercus species those that are low branched, or those that do Willows Salix species not grow very large. In deer prone landscapes, trees that grow tall and hold their branches high are the best choice, though they may need Seldom Damaged to be protected until they are tall enough to be Common Name Scientific Name out of a deer’s reach. Trees can be protected Red Buckeye* Aesculus pavia individually with wire cages, or planted in an River Birch* Betula nigra area of the landscape that is fenced off. Deodar Cedar Cedrus deodora Hawthorn* Crataegus species Japanese Cedar Cryptomeria japonica * = Plants native to the Southeastern USA Ginkgo Ginkgo biloba Bold plants are particularly resistant to deer Honey Locust* Gleditsia triacanthos feeding American Holly* Ilex opaca Eastern Redcedar* Juniperus virginiana Crape Myrtle Lagerstroemia hybrids Frequently Damaged Southern Magnolia* Magnolia grandiflora Common Name Scientific Name Sweetbay Magnolia* Magnolia virginica Redbud* Cercis canadensis Black Gum* Nyssa sylvatica Atlantic White Cedar* Chamaecyparis thyoides Pines* Pinus species Fringe Tree, Chionanthus virginicus Carolina Cherrylaurel* Prunus caroliniana Old Man’s Beard* Japanese Flowering Cherry Prunus serrulata Crabapples Malus species Live Oak* Quercus virginiana Cherries and Plums Prunus species Bald Cypress* Taxodium distichum Pears Pyrus species Chastetree Vitex agnus-castus 3 EVERGREEN SHRUBS Seldom Damaged Occasionally Damaged Common Name Scientific Name Common Name Scientific Name Abelia Abelia x grandiflora Camellias Camellia species and varieties Century Plant Agave americana Loquat Eriobotrya japonica Wintergreen Rose of Sharon Hibiscus syriacus Berberis julianae Barberry Japanese Holly Ilex crenata Japanese Boxwood Buxus microphylla Mahonia Mahonia bealei Bottlebrush Callistemon rigidus Viburnum Viburnum species and varieties Plum Yew Cephalotaxus harringtonia Eleagnus Eleagnus pungens Frequently Damaged Pineapple Guava Acca sellowiana Common Name Scientific Name Gardenia Gardenia jasminoides Japanese Euonymous Euonymous japonicus Chinese Holly Ilex cornuta Wintercreeper Euonymous fortunei Inkberry Ilex glabra Fatsia Fatsia japonica Dwarf Yaupon Ilex vomitoria dwarf cultivars Aucuba Aucuba japonica Anise Shrub Illicium species Indian Hawthorn Raphiolepis species and varieties Chinese Juniper Juniperus chinensis Pittosporum Pittosporum tobira Leucothoe Leucothoe species Azaleas Rhododendron species and varieties Japanese Privet Ligustrum japonicum Arborvitae Thuja occidentalis Loropetalum Loropetalum chinensis Banana Shrub Michelia fuscata Wax Myrtle Myrica cerifera PALMS Nandina Nandina domestica As a group, palms are very resistant to deer feed- Oleander Nerium oleander ing. The following palms are hardy in southeastern Osmanthus fragrans North Carolina and make interesting landscape addi- Tea Olive Osmanthus heterophyllus tions. Southern Yew Podocarpus macrophyllus TRUNK FORMING PALMS Pyracantha Pyracantha species and varieties Windmill Palm, Trachycarpus fortunei Jelly or Pindo Palm, Butia capitata Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis Palmetto or Cabbage Palm*, Sweet Box Sarcococca species Sabal palmetto Yucca Yucca species SHRUB FORMING PALMS Dwarf Palmetto*, Sabal minor Needle Palm*, Rhapidophyllum hystrix * = Plants native to the Southeastern USA Mediterranean Fan Palm, Chamaerops humilis Bold plants are particularly resistant to deer feeding 4 DECIDUOUS SHRUBS Frequently Damaged ORNAMENTAL Common Name Scientific Name Burning Bush Euonymous alata GRASSES Roses Rosa species and hybrids Blueberries* Vaccinium species In general, ornamental grasses are avoided by deer Occasionally Damaged and should be considered highly resistant to deer grazing. There are lots of different types of Common Name Scientific Name ornamental grasses available. Most are long lived and tough, making attractive and low maintenance Flowering Quince Chaenomeles speciosa additions to the landscape. They provide a nice Smokebush Cotinus coggyria contrast to shrubs and can be planted in mass as a groundcover. The following ornamental grasses are Forsythia, Forsythia x intermedia Yellowbells recommended for this region: Hydrangea macrophyllus Hydrangea Hydrangea paniculata Korean Feather Virginia Sweetspire* Itea virginica Reed Grass Calamagrostis brachytricha Japanese Spirea Spiraea x bumalda, Spiraea japonica River Oats* Thunberg Spirea Spiraea thunbergia Chasmanthium latifolium Viburnum Viburnum species Pampas Grass Weigela Weigela florida Cortaderia selloeana Seldom Damaged Maiden Grass Miscanthus sinensis Common Name Scientific Name Japanese Barberry Berberis thunbergii Pink Muhly Grass* Muhlenbergia capillaris Butterflybush Buddleia davidii Panic Grass* Sweetshrub* Calycanthus floridus Panicum virgatum American Beautyberry* Callicarpa americana Fountain Grass Blue Mist Shrub Caryopteris x clandonensis Pennisetum alopecuriodes Clethra, Pepperbush* Clethra alnifolia & Pennisetum orientale Deutzia Deutzia gracilis Fothergilla* Fothergilla gardenii For more information about these and other Winter Jasmine Jasminum nudiflorum ornamental grasses, search NC Cooperative Extension Plants Database: Kerria Kerria japonica https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/ Spring Flowering Spiraea cantoniensis, S. nipponica, Spireas Spiraea x vanhouttei In addition to grasses, the database also includes trees, shrubs, herbs, perennials, bulbs, edible * = Plants native to the Southeastern USA plants, natives, ferns, and many more! Bold plants are particularly resistant to deer feeding 5 VINES AND GROUNDCOVERS Frequently Damaged MORE GROUNDCOVER POSSIBILITIES Common Name Scientific Name There are many perennials, Clematis Clematis species and hybrids ornamental grasses, and low growing Wintercreeper Euonymous fortunei shrubs that make excellent English Ivy Hedera helix groundcovers when planted in large groups. Occasionally Damaged To find more plants recommended for use as groundcovers in North Carolina, search the Common Name Scientific Name