The 20 Best Deer-Resistant Shrubs to Plant (Because Bambi Is Getting on Your Nerves)

Think outside the box(wood)

Published Aug 5, 2023

PureWow editors select every item that appears on this page, and the company may earn compensation through affiliate links within the story. All prices are accurate upon date of publish. You can learn more about the affiliate process here.

Bambi is adorable. Until she starts chewing on your roses or chowing down on your azaleas. The truth is that as suburbia has spread, deer have to go somewhere. And that could be your garden.

If you appreciate deer but want to have some greenery to enjoy, you can try planting deer-resistant shrubs. We’ve rounded up a few of the best types to plant and have a few tips for living peacefully with your neighborhood deer (see those at the very bottom of this story), with advice from our expert, Michael Mengak, PhD, professor and wildlife specialist at Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources at the University of Georgia.

Which Plants Do Deer Hate the Most?

You can plant shrubs deer don’t love. However, if they get hungry enough, if there’s a large deer population in the area or if it’s an especially harsh winter, deer will eat anything—even plants they usually don’t like. But you can at least give these plants, which they’re less likely to munch on, a try.

The plants deer typically hate the most include boxwoods, junipers, forsythia, butterfly bush, beautyberry and inkberry holly, as well as most hollies in general, says Dr. Mengak.

You also can check with your local university coop extension service (find yours here), which often list deer-tolerant ornamental plants in your region, such as these lists by the University of Georgia, Penn State, and Rutgers University.

The bottom line: There’s no such thing as deer-proof plants, only (somewhat) deer-resistant ones.

The 20 Best Deer-Resistant Shrubs to Plant

best deer resistant shrubs to plant boxwood

beekeepx/Getty Images

1. Boxwood

USD Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
How Much Sun It Needs: Full sun (6+ hours of direct sunlight) to part shade

Boxwood has been a favorite garden shrub for hundreds of years, thanks largely to its classic, uniform look. These shrubs can be left in their natural forms or sheared into shapes for hedges or topiaries.

BUY NOW (~~$28~~; $20)

best deer resistant shrubs to plant juniper

oxygen/Getty Images

2. Juniper

USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
How Much Sun It Needs: Full sun

Deer tend to leave junipers alone, and they’re available in many different forms, from ground cover types to more upright shapes. Junipers are super-hardy shrubs in sun, cold or drought conditions, so they work almost anywhere.

$30 AT AMAZON

best deer resistant shrubs to plant forsythia

Khanh Ngo Photography/Getty Images

3. Forsythia

USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
How Much Sun It Needs: Full to part shade

The bright yellow flowers or forsythia bloom in very early spring before the leaves have emerged, providing a little cheer in an otherwise gloomy landscape. (Spring is coming!) New types are more compact.

BUY NOW ($39)

best deer resistant shrubs to plant butterfly bush

Jacky Parker Photography/Getty Images

4. Butterfly Bush

USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
How Much Sun It Needs: Full sun

This perennial favorite attracts tons of pollinators all summer long. Look for new types, which are not invasive and are more compact and well-behaved in the garden, keeping a smaller profile.

$20 AT AMAZON

best deer resistant shrubs to plant potentilla

Zen Rial/Getty Images

5. Potentilla

USDA Hardiness Zones: 2 to 7
How Much Sun It Needs: Full sun to part shade

Blooming from spring to frost, this hardy shrub needs little care. It can withstand the cold well and tolerates any type of soil.

BUY NOW ($21)

best deer resistant shrubs to plant beautyberry

DigiPub/Getty Images

6. Beautyberry

USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 8
How Much Sun It Needs: Full sun

Beautyberry is a real showstopper in the autumn landscape. This gorgeous shrub has white flowers and stunning pink or purple berries throughout that time of year.

$30 AT AMAZON

best deer resistant shrubs to plant inkberry holly

Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners

7. Inkberry Holly

USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
How Much Sun It Needs: Full sun to part shade

Inkberry resembles boxwood, but it’s more disease-resistant. Even better? This compact little evergreen maintains its rounded form without you needing to prune it.

BUY NOW ($22)

best deer resistant shrubs to plant rose of sharon

Carmen Hauser/Getty Images

8. Rose Of Sharon

USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
How Much Sun It Needs: Full sun

These reliable summer bloomers add late season color to your garden. New varieties are more cold-hardy and have lacy blooms that come in lovely shades of pale pink or blue.

BUY NOW ($22)

best deer resistant shrubs to plant red osier dogwood

Photo Courtesy of Spring Meadow Nursery, Inc.

9. Red Osier Dogwood

USDA Hardiness Zones: 2 to 7
How Much Sun It Needs: Full sun to part shade

This attractive shrub has bright red stems in winter, which contrast beautifully against a field of snow. Look for dwarf varieties, which are more manageable in small gardens.

BUY NOW ($22)

best deer resistant shrubs to plant mugo pine

Massimo Ravera/Getty Images

10. Mugo Pine

USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
How Much Sun It Needs: Full sun

This rugged dwarf evergreen has a charming, squat shape and interesting “candles” in the spring. Mugo pines have a great architectural form and make excellent foundation plantings or accent plants.

$65 AT AMAZON

best deer resistant shrubs to plant pieris

Getty Images

11. Pieris

USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
How Much Sun It Needs: Part sun

Pieris is also called lily of the valley shrub for the oodles of dangling pink or white bell-shaped flowers that appear in very early spring. It’s an eye-catching shrub that should be part of every garden for its charming appearance and welcome spring color.

$25 AT AMAZON

best deer resistant shrubs to plant mahonia

Getty Images

12. Mahonia

USDA Hardiness Zones: 7 to 9
How Much Sun It Needs: Part sun

This dramatic evergreen shrub has upright fern-like branches and sprays of yellow flowers in late fall to early winter. Plant it in mixed borders or as a foundation shrub.

BUY NOW ($60)

best deer resistant shrubs to plant caryopteris

Federica Grassi/Getty Images

13. Caryopteris

USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
How Much Sun It Needs: Full sun

Bees love caryopteris (particularly its brilliant blue flowers) in late summer to early fall, when many other garden plants are fading. This lesser-known shrub is a great addition to any garden.

$27 AT AMAZON

best deer resistant shrubs to plant arrowwood viburnum

Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners

14. Arrowwood Viburnum

USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
How Much Sun It Needs: Full sun to part shade

This hardy native shrub has tons of white flower clusters in early summer, followed by pretty blue fruit in the fall. Arrowwood viburnum needs a second viburnum, such as Chicago Luster, to help pollinate so that it will form fruit.

BUY NOW ($18)

best deer resistant shrubs to plant barberry

Zen Rial/Getty Images

15. Barberry

USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
How Much Sun It Needs: Full sun

Barberry is a compact shrub that maintains a nice, rounded or pillar shape with no little or no pruning. Look for newer varieties that have gorgeous bright orange, red or chartreuse foliage all season long.

BUY IT ($29)

best deer resistant shrubs to plant weigela

Feifei Cui-Paoluzzo/Getty Images

16. Weigela

USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
How Much Sun It Needs: Full sun

Weigela has beautiful burgundy, green or variegated leaves with stunning tubular flowers in spring. (Hummingbirds love it, BTW.) Some types rebloom later in the summer, too, so you get more bang for your buck.

$29 AT AMAZON

best deer resistant shrubs to plant lilac

Chris Reddy/Getty Images

17. Lilac

USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
How Much Sun It Needs: Full sun

This classic spring bloomer has the most amazing scent that works well in traditional or cottage gardens. New varieties of lilac also are more compact and less leggy, and some types rebloom in summer or fall.

BUY NOW ($22)

best deer resistant shrubs to plant spirea

Catherine McQueen/Getty Images

18. Spirea

USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
How Much Sun It Needs: Full sun

This hardy shrub has tiny clusters of flowers that appear in late spring to early summer. Spirea comes in many different varieties, but look for dwarf types if you don’t have a lot of space. Reblooming types offer a second show later in the season.

$28 AT AMAZON

best deer resistant shrubs to plant deutzia

Jacky Parker Photography/Getty Images

19. Deutzia

USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 8
How Much Sun It Needs: Full sun

This low-growing shrub makes a beautiful groundcover or foundation planting. Deutzia also has lovely arching branches and a profusion of lovely pink or white flowers in spring.

BUY NOW ($38)

best deer resistant shrubs to plant siberian cypress

Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners

20. Siberian Cypress

USDA Hardiness Zones: 2 to 7
How Much Sun It Needs: Full sun to part shade

This compact evergreen hugs the ground and has feathery foliage that turns bronze in winter. It can take even the harshest climates (it is called “Siberian,” after all).

BUY NOW ($22)

Your Biggest Questions About Dealing with Deer, Answered

How Do I Know Deer Are Damaging My Garden?

If you notice chewed-up plants and you’re not sure you have deer damage, look for ragged edges. Because deer have no upper incisors, they bite and tear plants from ground level up to about 6 feet off the ground. Some of your plants may get trampled, too, as they roam your yard.

Damage can occur year-round. Plus, even if you’ve never had deer browse issues before, it can start at any time—due to conditions such as drought, flood, overpopulation and competition with other browsing animals, such as rabbits. “Deer can travel a mile or two and a young deer dispersing for the first time can travel up to five miles,” says Dr. Mengak.

What Can I Do to Keep Deer from Eating My Plants?

Nothing is 100 percent foolproof. A fence that’s 4 to 6 tall is most effective for keeping them out of gardens, but it’s not always practical. Plus, “motivated deer can jump an 8-foot fence,” says Dr. Mengak.

You can try scare devices, or repellants such as capsaicin, putrescent egg (smelly, though the odor fades in a day) or products such as Milorganite, but research shows they only work some of the time. Plus, you usually need to rotate repellant types and reapply after rain. “You also need to get the repellants in the garden as early as possible in the season,” says Dr. Mengak. “Application before the deer start feeding on your plants is important.” Finally, read the label; some repellants should never be used on edibles such as vegetables and berries.

As for homemade repellants (bars of soap, hair, coyote urine), they just don’t work. Deer are incredibly adaptable and will learn to put up with a lot of things once they learn they’re not really in danger.

Your best bet is to combine methods: Use repellants, and rotate what you’re using every week or two. Be consistent, and reapply after heavy rains or about every 5 to 7 days.

Arricca Elin SanSone

Freelance Gardening Editor

Arricca Elin SanSone is a gardener with more than 15 years of experience. In addition to PureWow, she writes for Prevention, Country Living, Veranda, The Spruce and many other...

read full bio

The 20 Best Deer-Resistant Shrubs to Plant (Because Bambi Is Getting on Your Nerves)

Think outside the box(wood)

Which Plants Do Deer Hate the Most?

The 20 Best Deer-Resistant Shrubs to Plant

1. Boxwood

2. Juniper

3. Forsythia

4. Butterfly Bush

5. Potentilla

6. Beautyberry

7. Inkberry Holly

8. Rose Of Sharon

9. Red Osier Dogwood

10. Mugo Pine

11. Pieris

12. Mahonia

13. Caryopteris

14. Arrowwood Viburnum

15. Barberry

16. Weigela

17. Lilac

18. Spirea

19. Deutzia

20. Siberian Cypress

Your Biggest Questions About Dealing with Deer, Answered

How Do I Know Deer Are Damaging My Garden?

What Can I Do to Keep Deer from Eating My Plants?

Freelance Gardening Editor

More Stories You'll Love