
Millie Davenport ©2019 HGIC, Clemson Extension
It is disheartening to add new annual and perennial plants to the landscape only to find them mowed to the ground by resident wildlife. Many gardeners struggle with deer eating their plants. While no plant is completely fool proof, deer seldom damage the plants listed below. The only solution that is fail proof is exclusion, which is not a very practical solution for most homeowners. For more information about the biology and prevention of deer damage, see https://icwdm.org/species/other-mammals/deer/.
Annuals
Common Name |
Botanical Name |
Light Requirements |
Annual Vinca |
Catharanthus roseus |
Full Sun |
Cleome |
Cleome hassleriana |
Full Sun |
Coleus |
Solenostemon species (some coleus sun tolerant varieties available) |
Part Shade |
Cosmos |
Cosmos bipinnatus |
Full Sun |
Dusty Miller |
Senecio cineraria |
Full Sun |
Marigold |
Tagetes species |
Full Sun |
Mealycup Sage |
Salvia farinacea |
Full Sun |
Butter Daisy |
Melampodium paludosum |
Full Sun |
Pentas |
Pentas lanceolata |
Full Sun |
Petunia |
Petunia species |
Full Sun |
Purple Heart |
Tradescantia ‘Purple Heart’ |
Full Sun/Part Shade |
Wax Begonia |
Begonia semperflorens |
Part Shade |
Zinnia |
Zinnia species |
Full Sun |
Perennials
Common Name |
Botanical Name |
Light Requirements |
Anise Hyssop |
Agastache foeniculum |
Full Sun/Part Shade |
Anise Sage |
Salvia guaranitica |
Full Sun |
Artemisia |
Artemisia x ‘Powis Castle’ |
Full Sun |
Autumn Fern |
Dryopteris erythrosora |
Full to Part Shade |
Bee Balm |
Monarda didyma |
Full to Part Sun |
Blanket flower |
Gaillardia x grandiflora |
Full Sun |
Bugleweed |
Ajuga reptans |
Part Sun |
Butterfly Weed |
Asclepias tuberosa |
Full Sun |
Cast Iron Plant |
Aspidistra elatior |
Full Shade |
Christmas Fern |
Polystichum acrostichoides |
Full to Part Shade |
Cinnamon Fern |
Osmunda cinnamomea |
Full to Part Shade |
Columbine |
Aquilegia species |
Part Shade |
Coreopsis |
Coreopsis species |
Full Sun/Part Shade |
False Indigo |
Baptisia species |
Full Sun |
Goldenrod |
Solidago rugosa |
Full Sun |
Coralbells |
Heuchera species |
Part Shade |
Holly Fern |
Cyrtomium falcatum |
Full to Part Shade |
Japanese Painted Fern |
Athyrium nipponicum var. pictum |
Full to Part Shade |
Joe Pye Weed |
Eupatorium dubium |
Full Sun/Part Shade |
Lamb’s Ear |
Stachys byzantina |
Full Sun |
Lungwort |
Pulmonaria species |
Full to Part Shade |
Mexican Bush Sage |
Salvia leucantha |
Full Sun |
Purple Coneflower |
Echinacea purpurea |
Full Sun |
Royal Fern |
Osmunda regalis |
Full to Part Shade |
Russian Sage |
Perovskia hybrids |
Full Sun |
Texas Sage |
Salvia greggii |
Full Sun/ Part Shade |
Yarrow |
Achillea species |
Full Sun/Part Shade |
If this document didn’t answer your questions, please contact HGIC at hgic@clemson.edu or 1-888-656-9988.
Author(s)
Millie Davenport, Director of Home and Garden Information Center, Horticulture Program Team, Clemson University
This information is supplied with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service is implied. All recommendations are for South Carolina conditions and may not apply to other areas. Use pesticides only according to the directions on the label. All recommendations for pesticide use are for South Carolina only and were legal at the time of publication, but the status of registration and use patterns are subject to change by action of state and federal regulatory agencies. Follow all directions, precautions and restrictions that are listed.