A Selection of Deer-Resistant Plants
The main problem I have with this concept is that, unfortunately, many of the plants that deer don't like, I don't like either. So it goes. Alas. I will have to live with that and pick out plants I do like.
As I mentioned earlier, I am new to the deer game, so these plants are just what I've seen in other peoples deer-ridden gardens. Many plants in nurseries are listed as deer-tolerant, but I am planning on taking much of that information with a grain of salt. There are also many webpages on the subject, and I've provided links to some of those in part three of this series on deer resistance.
Ornamental Grasses
I have a large meadow area all around my house that already contains many wild and native grasses. This area moves from moist to dry as it elevates. Deer like the lush new growth of lawns, helping with mowing more than causing a problem, but don't like the following ornamental grasses:
- Andropogon gerardi - Big Bluestem (tolerant of anything)
- Carex spp. are all unpalatable to deer. They are available in a wide range of colours, shapes and sizes. Carex comans is a nice bronzey-coloured grass. 'Frosty Curls' has a neat weeping shape. My Favourite is Carex elata 'Bowles Golden', which is good in moist soil.
- Festuca spp. - There are many of these blue fescues. All are deer-resistant.
- Holcus mollis 'Albovariegatus' - A very interesting grass with near-white leaves and purple flower stems.
- Juncus spp. - True rushes, these are not grasses at all, but look like grass. The round stems carry water and they're great in boggy situations. There is also a spiralled variety that is interesting.
- Luzula nivea - Wood Rush - (moist soil)
- Miscanthus spp - The queen of ornamental grasses. Many colours, varieties, shapes, sizes.
- Molina caerulea - A highly architectural grass, so it's not for naturalizing so much as accenting.
- Panicum spp - Switch Grass - healthy upright growth and bronze flowers en masse.
- Pennisetum spp. - Fountain grasses are great for their showy fluffy spikes of flowers. Good in poor soil, but not constantly moist. Some people call it 'pussy willow grass'.
- Schizachyrium spp. - Little Bluestems are hard to get but are worth it in the long run. Steel blue leaves, and with the cool fall temperatures bringing out deep burgundy tinges. Soft flower spikes.
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