Blog

Deer grazing along a woodline forest creates an idyllic setting. But, this picturesque view of deer often doesn’t correspond well to our landscapes. Especially when you realize the grazing is happening on your hosta! Choosing deer-resistant plants will help you, your landscape, and the beautiful deer cohabitate.

With spring right around the corner, your landscape will be a veritable buffet for deer. It’s hard to find a home in West St. Louis County where deer haven’t terrorized the landscape. Deer prefer being next to wooded areas or in clearings where food is often more prevalent. Being that much of West County is wooded land, that makes your yard a Whole Foods wonderland!

While repellents and scare tactics may briefly keep the deer away, the best way to keep damage at a minimum is to plant what they don’t like. Choosing deer-resistant plants will allow your landscape a chance to survive and thrive. These common deer-resistant plants for St. Louis will help you get your landscape started off right.

These plants have been chosen as being the most Deer-Resistant for the St. Louis area. They are not necessarily Deer-Proof.

Perennials:

Astilbe, Astilbe spp.	Foxglove, Digitalis spp.	Pinks, Dianthus spp.
Bee Balm, Monarda spp.	Goldenrod, Solidago spp.	Purple Coneflower, Echinacea purpurea
Bergenia, Bergenia spp.	Hellebore, Helleborus nigra	Russian Sage, Perovskia atriplicifolia
Black-Eyed Susan, Rudbeckia spp.	Hibiscus, Hibiscus spp.	Sage, Salvia spp.
Bleeding Heart, Dicentra spectabilis	Iris, Iris spp.	Sedum, Sedum spp.
Catmint, Nepeta spp.	Japanese Anemone, Anemone x hybrida	Shasta Daisy, Chrysanthemum
Columbine, Aquilegia spp.	Lady’s Mantle, Alchemilla Mollis	Snakeroot, Cimicifuga racemosa
Coreopsis, Coreopsis verticillata	Lamb’s Ear, Stachys byzantina	Snakeroot – white, Eupatorium rogosum
Cranesbill, Geranium spp.	Lavender, Lavandula spp.	Sneezeweed, Helenium autumnale
Euphorbia, Euphorbia spp.	Ostrich Fern, Matteuccia	Speedwell, Veronica spp.
Foam Flower, Tiarella cordifolia	Peony, Paeonia spp.	Yarrow, Achillea spp.

Annuals:

Ageratum, Ageratum	Flowering Tobacco, Nicotiana	Snapdragon, Antirrhinum
Alyssum, Lobularia	Heliotrope, Heliotropium	Zinnia, Zinnia
Begonia – wax, Begonia x	Lantana, Lantana
Dusty Miller, Jacobaea	Marigold, Tagetes

Groundcover:

Bugle Weed, Ajuga spp.	Pachysandra, Pachysandra spp.	Vinca, Vinca minor
Lily-of-the-Valley, Convallaria majalis	Sedum, Sedum spp.

Shrubs:

Azalea – Deciduous, Rhododendron spp.	Holly – Chinese, Ilex cornuta	Lilac – common, Syringa vulgaris
Barberry, Berberis spp.	Holly – Inkberry, Ilex glabra	Mugo Pine, Pinus mugo
Bayberry, Myrica spp.	Holly – Japanese, Ilex crenata	Privet – golden, Ligustrum x vicaryi
Cotoneaster, Cotoneaster spp.	Judd Viburnum, Viburnum x juddii	Smoke Bush, Cotinus spp.
Doublefile Viburnum, Viburnum plicatum tom.	Juniper – Chinese, Juniperus chinensis	Spirea, Spiraea spp.
Firethorn, Pyracantha spp.	Korean Spice Viburnum, Viburnum carlesii	Willow, Salix spp.
Forsythia, Forsythia spp.	Leatherleaf Viburnum, Viburnum rhy.	Witch Hazel, Hamamelis spp.

Trees:

Bald Cypress, Taxodium distichum	Ginkgo, Ginkgo biloba	Redbud, Cercis canadensis
Beech, Fagus sylvatica	Holly – American, Ilex opaca	Spruce, Picea spp.
Birch, Betula spp.	Larch, Larix spp.	Sweet Gum, Liquidambar styraciflua
Cherry – Japanese, Prunus serrulata	Locust – Honey, Gleditsia triacanthos	Sycamore, Platanus occidentalis
Dogwood – Kousa, Cornus kousa	Maple – Sugar, Acer saccharum	Tulip Tree, Liriodendron
Eastern Red Cedar, Juniperus virginiana	Pine – Austrian, Pinus nigra

Keep in mind, while the deer-resistant list is for plants that they do not favor to eat, they still may munch. They especially enjoy the new spring foliage that is about to appear. It also will have little to no effect on the bucks rubbing their antlers. You can minimize damage to young trees by temporarily wrapping the trunks with draintile.

While we may not get every plant we want, choosing deer-resistant plants allows us to maintain our landscapes and still enjoy the wildlife.