Deer resistant plants Written by: Cathy LeVahn Anoka County Master Gardener Minnesota Tree Care Advisor Compiled by Gilda Banfield Olmsted County Master Gardener

Alkaline Soil Annuals 3 Feet or More Annual Vines That Grow Quickly Boulevard Gardens: Perennials Boulevard Gardens: Small Trees Broadleaf Evergreens for Zone 4 Clay Soil Cold Tolerant Annuals Compacted Sites: Trees Crevice Plants Deer Resistant Plants Dry Soil: Annual Foliage Plants Dry Soil: Shade or Under Trees Dry Soil: Trees Fragrant Annuals and Perennials Fragrant Shrubs Indoor Low Light Knot Gardens Lakeshore Native Plants Long-Blooming Perennials Rain Garden Plants River Banks and Canoe Public Access Areas Self-Seeding Perennials Septic Mound Plants Shade: Shrubs Shade: Small Trees Shade: Tall Perennials Steep Slopes Trees that Produce Minimal Litter Under a Black Walnut Tree

atthecreation.com/

Deer Facts 1,113,000 –Estimated Statewide Deer Population (2007) Hungry deer will eat almost any kind of plant More likely to damage younger, tender plants Don’t mix plants they prefer among those they dislike Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

Cathy LeVahn

ag.utah.gov

Possible Solutions Fencing –Wire, not wood Angled away from yard –Psychological and physical barrier 6 feet high and 30 ° angle –Electric fencing somewhat successful Not 100% successful

Possible Solutions Repellents –Contact Repellents Applied to plants Tastes bad –Area Repellents Foul odor repels deer Connecticut study tested 6 repellents, none more than 50% effective blog.oregonlive.com

Possible Solutions A Connecticut study tested 6 repellents, none more than 50% effective RepellentEffectiveness Deer Away (rotten egg)46% Hinder (ammonium soaps)43% Thiram (bitter fungicide)43% Mesh bags of human hair34% Magic Circle (bone tar oil)18% Miller Hot Sauce15%

Possible Solutions No scientific evidence but worth a try: Deodorant soap tied to tree branches Egg mixture sprayed on foliage –2 eggs –1 to 2 cups cold water –Mix in high speed blender –Add to gallon of water and spray on foliage –Does not wash off foliage easily, reapply 2-3 times per season

Possible Solutions Noise Alarms –Using sound not effective –More bothersome to homeowner than deer –Deer become accustomed to noise

Deer Resistant Plants Deer damage to ornamental plants is very frustrating. You can minimize the damage they can do by avoiding plants they prefer. Use plants that deer avoid due to –Toxicity –Fragrance –Texture

Yarrow (Achillea spp.) Height: 18”- 3’ Drought tolerant Prefers full sun Bailey Nurseries

Ageratum (Ageratum houstonianum) Height: 6-24” Beautiful blue, pink or white flowers Easy to grow

Ornamental onion (Allium spp.) Height: 1-4’ Many forms and species Tough and may self-seed

Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) Height: 1-3’ Short-lived Self-seeds Showy flowers Bailey Nurseries

Wax begonia (Begonia semperflorens & hybrids) Height: 8”-2’ Dependable flowers Shade and drought tolerant Flickr.com Purdue University

Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) Height: 2-3’ Native Attracts birds and butterflies Bailey Nurseries

Heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens) Height: 18-24” Cherry-pie fragrance Tough Long lasting flowers Ottawa Horticulture Society

Sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima) Height: 4-12” Edging and container plant Self-seeds Cape Town Garden

Daffodil (Narcissus spp.) Height: 6-24” Poisonous to squirrels and deer Can be planted under trees

Peony (Paeonia lactiflora) Height: 2-3’ Long lasting perennial May need staking Prefers full sun Bailey Nurseries

Poppy (Papaver spp.) Height: 1-3’ Showy flowers Can self-seed Many species and cultivars

Geranium (Pelargonium xhortorum) Height: 12-18” Cemetery plant Tough and drought resistant All American Selections

Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) Height: 3-4’ Drought tolerant Prefers full sun

Blue salvia (Salvia farinacea) Height: 24-30” Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds All American Selections

Dusty Miller (Senecio cineraria) Height: 6-15” Silver-grey or white foliage Drought and cold tolerant Dave’s garden

Lamb’s ear (stachys byzantina) Height: 6-15” Silver foliage good for edging and front of border Drought tolerant

Marigold (tagetes spp.) Height: 6”-3’ Long-lasting yellow, gold and bicolor flowers Easy to grow from seed University of Minnesota All American Selection

Bleeding Heart (dicentra) Height: 8”-4’ Bloom Color: Pink, White, Red-pink Light shade or full shade

Butterfly Weed (Asclepias) Height: 12”-24” Bloom Color: Orange, yellow, white, red Prefers sandy soil or of poor quality Undisturbed, it develops a large taproot aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu

Gayfeather (Liatris spicata) Height: 2-4’ Flower Color: Purple, white Exposure: Sun Soil: Well-drained Bloom Time: June - October

Plume poppy (Macleaya cordata) Height: 6-8’ Flower Color: Creamy white Exposure: Sun, partial sun or light shade Soil: Well drained, moist Bloom Time: July - September

Speedwell (Veronica spicata) Height: 1-2’ Flower Color: Purple, white, pink Exposure: Sun, partial sun/ light shade Soil: Well-drained Bloom Time: June – September

Zinnia (zinnia) Height: 6-36” Flower Color: Red, yellow, gold, green, purple, orange, pink, white, maroon, brown Exposure: Sun Easy to start from seed homepage.mac.com

schwehr.org

Trees Shrubs and Vines atthecreation.com

ag.utah.gov

Japanese barberry (Barberis thunbergii) Height: 2-5’ Thorny Many cultivars Red berries and red fall color May be invasive Bailey Nurseries

Bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) Height: to 60’ Woody native vine Attractive berries Bailey Nurseries

Red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea) Height: 6-12’ Attractive red stems Cultivars vary in height and form Bailey Nurseries University of Minnesota

Forsythia (Forsythia ‘Northern Sun’) Height: 8-10’ Fast growing Very hardy flower buds Tolerates a wide variety of soils Bailey Nurseries

Chinese Juniper (Juniperus chinensis) Height: 2-6’ Many cultivars and forms Good for full sun dansjunipers.tripod.com/chinensis.htm

Mugo pine (Pinus mugo) Height: 12-20’ Tolerant of alkaline, compacted or salty soils

Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) Height: 25-50’ Evergreen with attractive bark Michigan State University

Rhododendron & Azalea (Rhododentron spp.) Height: 3-6’ Evergreen and deciduous species Showy flowers ‘Northern Lights’ series are the hardiest University of Minnesota

Lilac (Syringa vulgarus) Height: 8-15’ Showy fragrant flowers in spring Tolerant of many sites Bailey Nurseries

Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago) Height: 12-18’ Native shrubs Fruits turn from red to blue Shade tolerant Bailey Nurseries

Potentilla (potentilla) Height: 1-4’ Extremely winter hardy Blooms extended period, early summer through fall Full sun Bailey Nurseries

Not so cute anymore, is he?

References: University of Minnesota Extension Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Thank You