Five flowers deer might not eat

The photo is an example of the kind of damage typical from deer feeding. Photo credit : David Stephens, Bugwood.org

Article by, Nicole Sanchez,
Horticulture, OSU Extension Service, Klamath County

Early in May, an author of a weekly horticulture column in Klamath Falls was celebrating a birthday. Naturally, several friends shared plants as gifts, among them a stunning burning bush, Euonymus alatus. An excellent choice for the author’s South Suburban neighborhood where deer roam freely, sampling landscape offerings and holding up traffic at will, Burning bush is a shrub often included on lists of “deer resistant” plants. It’s cold hardy, has lovely bight red fall foliage and interesting stems that look great in flower arrangements. The burning bush was placed under the carport that evening, awaiting a decision on its permanent location.

Imagine the author’s surprise, when, returning from errands the following morning,  a deer was munching the burning bush in the driveway, right next to the house. She parked, jumped out of the car, and yelled at the deer, “You’re not even supposed to like that! Leave it alone!” The deer rolled its eyes and jumped over the fence into the neighbor’s yard in pursuit of unguarded delicacies. Subsequent online searching revealed that Burning bush, Euonymus alatus, is often included in lists of deer- resistant plants- and also on lists of plants deer especially enjoy.

The story serves to remind that there is no such thing as a “deer-proof” plant. There are deer resistant plants- those deer choose less often. When foliage is plentiful, deer will choose things that taste best. In times of drought, deer will eat whatever is available- including a brand-new, as yet unplanted shrub.  When a list isn’t handy, it’s helpful to consider the features of a plant that make it more or less palatable to deer. Following are five flowering plants that are considered resistant- and a few tips for growing them successfully.

Iris. Both bearded and non-bearded iris types are cold hardy. Available in numerous colors, careful selection of early, mid, and late season bloomers enables the gardener to enjoy a display for much of the late spring to early summer window. In addition to deer resistance, iris withstand drought well and have few pests. Iris leaves are tough and fibrous- a feature common to several deer resistant plants.  Tubers will need to be divided from time to time for vigor. A bed of iris can bloom for many years.

Red-Hot Poker. This drought tolerant perennial is another with long, tough leaves, making it less palatable for deer. Plants grow several feet tall, and large, torch-like spikes emerge in mid-summer. Also known as “torch lilies”, flowers come in red, orange, yellow, and bright green. Cutting flower spike off as they fade encourages more blooms. The plants should be cut back in fall and protected with mulch.

Columbine. In addition to beautiful spring flowers in a multitude of colors, columbine are valuable to hummingbirds, bees, and other pollinators as a source of nectar. The plants are deeply taprooted, which contributes to some drought tolerance. Leaves have a delicate, lacy texture, so there is interest in the garden even after the flowers have faded. Columbines cross pollinate well, resulting in lots of color choices for the gardener. Columbines are perennial, but not always long lived- gardeners can consider allowing them to self-seed, or replacing plants every few years.

Daffodil. Among the bulb flowers, daffodils are consistently more resistant to deer and rodent feeding than other options. Daffodil bulbs are best planted in fall, but those with established beds might consider digging and dividing after bloom in spring when remaining leaves make the bulbs’ locations evident. Bulbs should be dug, with the bulblets separated from “mother” bulbs and replanted. This helps maintain larger bloom size. Hundreds of daffodil varieties exist, providing an ample color palette for spring bloom. A substance called lycorine found in daffodils makes them alkaline so they don’t taste good to rodents or deer.

Geraniums. From the annual “zonal” geraniums popular in containers to the delicate native Geraniums more appropriate for woodland and shade gardens, geraniums are another option for gardeners that contend with deer. The strong fragrance and fuzzy leaves of geraniums are thought to be deterrent. Strong fragrance is common to many of the plants found on “deer-resistant” lists- marigolds, calendula, mints and other herbs.

When it comes to hungry deer, tall fencing is the only sure solution. Other tactics gardeners try are surrounding palatable plants with those that have deterring fragrance, using deer repellent devices, and products derive from coyote urine and blood. While deer in Klamath Falls appear to have little regard for what plants the lists “say” are preferable, the curious gardener can find one here:

https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/deer-resistant-plants-central-oregon.