Deer-Resistant Shrubs
These 103 shrubs are the ones deer tend to leave alone — rated A (rarely damaged) or B (seldom damaged) in Rutgers University’s deer-resistance research. Sorted most-resistant first.
Search all 527 plants by zone →10 ways to keep deer out →Ratings come from Rutgers University’s landscape deer-resistance research. A = rarely damaged, B = seldom severely damaged. We list only A and B here — the plants deer tend to leave alone. No plant is 100% deer-proof when browse pressure is high.
| Plant | Botanical name | Deer rating | Zones |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arrowwood Viburnum | Viburnum dentatum | A · Rarely damaged | 3–8 |
| Barberry | Berberis sp. | A · Rarely damaged | 4–8 |
| Bayberry | Myrica pensylvanica | A · Rarely damaged | 3–7 |
| Blue Mist Shrub | Caryopteris clandonensis | A · Rarely damaged | 5–9 |
| Broom | Cytisus sp. | A · Rarely damaged | 5–8 |
| Bush Cinquefoil | Potentilla fruticosa | A · Rarely damaged | 2–7 |
| Butterfly Bush | Buddleia sp. | A · Rarely damaged | 5–9 |
| Common Boxwood | Buxus sempervirens | A · Rarely damaged | 5–8 |
| Daphne | Daphne sp. | A · Rarely damaged | 4–8 |
| Devil's Walking Stick | Aralia spinosa | A · Rarely damaged | 4–9 |
| Drooping Leucothoe | Leucothoe fontanesiana | A · Rarely damaged | 5–8 |
| Fragrant Sumac | Rhus aromatica | A · Rarely damaged | 3–9 |
| Heath | Erica sp. | A · Rarely damaged | 5–7 |
| Heather | Calliuna sp. | A · Rarely damaged | 4–7 |
| Japanese Pieris, Andromeda | Pieris japonica | A · Rarely damaged | 5–8 |
| Japanese Plum Yew | Cephalotaxus harringtonia | A · Rarely damaged | 6–9 |
| Japanese Skimmia | Skimmia japonica | A · Rarely damaged | 6–8 |
| John T. Morris Holly | Ilex x 'John T. Morris' | A · Rarely damaged | 6–9 |
| Leatherleaf Mahonia | Mahonia bealei | A · Rarely damaged | 6–9 |
| Lydia Morris Holly | Ilex x 'Lydia Morris' | A · Rarely damaged | 6–9 |
| Moonglow Juniper | Juniperus scopulorum 'Moonglow' | A · Rarely damaged | 3–7 |
| Mountain Pieris | Pieris floribunda | A · Rarely damaged | 4–6 |
| Oregon Grape Holly | Mahonia aquifolium | A · Rarely damaged | 5–8 |
| Prince of Wales Juniper | Juniperus horizontalis 'Prince of Wales' | A · Rarely damaged | 3–9 |
| Red Elderberry | Sambucus racemosa | A · Rarely damaged | 3–7 |
| Russian Cypress | Microbiota decussata | A · Rarely damaged | 3–7 |
| Russian Olive | Elaeagnus angustifolia | A · Rarely damaged | 2–7 |
| Sweet Box | Sarcoccoca hookeriana | A · Rarely damaged | 6–9 |
| Anthony Waterer Spirea | Spiraea x bumalda | B · Seldom damaged | 4–9 |
| Armstrong Juniper | Juniperus chinensis 'Armstrongii' | B · Seldom damaged | 4–9 |
| Autumn Olive | Elaeagnus umbellatus | B · Seldom damaged | 4–9 |
| Bearberry Cotoneaster | Cotoneaster dammeri | B · Seldom damaged | 5–8 |
| Beautyberry | Callicarpa sp. | B · Seldom damaged | 5–8 |
| Beautybush | Kolkwitzia amabilis | B · Seldom damaged | 4–8 |
| Blackhaw Viburnum | Viburnum prunifolium | B · Seldom damaged | 3–9 |
| Blue Star Juniper | Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star' | B · Seldom damaged | 4–8 |
| Blueberry Elder, Sweet Elder | Sambucus canadensis | B · Seldom damaged | 3–9 |
| Bog Rosemary | Andromeda polifolia | B · Seldom damaged | 2–6 |
| Brambles | Rubus sp. | B · Seldom damaged | 3–9 |
| Bridalwreath Spirea | Spiraea prunifolia | B · Seldom damaged | 4–9 |
| Buckthorn | Rhammus sp. | B · Seldom damaged | 2–8 |
| California Sweetshrub | Calycanthus occidentalis | B · Seldom damaged | 6–9 |
| Carolina Silverbell | Halesia carolina | B · Seldom damaged | 4–8 |
| Cherry Laurel | Prunus laurocerasus | B · Seldom damaged | 6–8 |
| Chinese Holly | Ilex cornuta | B · Seldom damaged | 7–9 |
| Chinese Juniper | Juniperus chinensis cv. | B · Seldom damaged | 3–9 |
| Coast Leucothoe | Leucothoe axillaris | B · Seldom damaged | 6–9 |
| Common Lilac | Syringa vulgaris | B · Seldom damaged | 3–7 |
| Common Sweetshrub | Calycanthus floridus | B · Seldom damaged | 4–9 |
| Common Witchhazel | Hamamelis virginiana | B · Seldom damaged | 3–8 |
| Coralberry | Symphoricarpos x chenaultii | B · Seldom damaged | 4–7 |
| Cranberry Bush | Viburnum opulus | B · Seldom damaged | 3–8 |
| Cranberry Cotoneaster | Cotoneaster apiculatus | B · Seldom damaged | 4–7 |
| Crape Myrtle | Lagerstroemia indica | B · Seldom damaged | 6–10 |
| Creeping Juniper | Juniperus horizontalis cv. | B · Seldom damaged | 3–9 |
| Currant | Ribes sp. | B · Seldom damaged | 3–8 |
| Deutzia | Deutzia sp. | B · Seldom damaged | 5–8 |
| Doublefile Viburnum | Viburnum plicatum tomentosurn | B · Seldom damaged | 5–8 |
| Dwarf Balsam Fir | Abies balsamea | B · Seldom damaged | 3–6 |
| English Holly | Ilex aquifolium | B · Seldom damaged | 6–9 |
| Firethorn | Pyracantha coccinea | B · Seldom damaged | 6–9 |
| Forsythia | Forsythia x intermedia | B · Seldom damaged | 5–8 |
| Fothergillia | Fothergila sp. | B · Seldom damaged | 5–8 |
| Glossy Abelia | Abelia sp. | B · Seldom damaged | 6–9 |
| Goldust Plant | Aucuba japonica | B · Seldom damaged | 6–10 |
| Harlequin Glorybower | Clerodendrum fargesii | B · Seldom damaged | 6–9 |
| Hazelnut | Corylus sp. | B · Seldom damaged | 4–8 |
| Holly Osmanthus | Osmanthus heterophyllus | B · Seldom damaged | 6–9 |
| Inkberry | Ilex glabra | B · Seldom damaged | 4–9 |
| Japanese Flowering Quince | Chaenomeles japonica | B · Seldom damaged | 5–8 |
| Japanese Garden Juniper | Juniperus procumbens 'Nana' | B · Seldom damaged | 4–9 |
| Japanese Kerria | Kerria japonica | B · Seldom damaged | 4–9 |
| Japanese Spirea | Spiraea japonica | B · Seldom damaged | 4–9 |
| Japanese Tree Lilac | Syringa reticulata | B · Seldom damaged | 3–7 |
| Judd Viburnum | Viburnum x juddii | B · Seldom damaged | 4–8 |
| Koreanspice Viburnum | Viburnum carlesii | B · Seldom damaged | 4–7 |
| Leatherleaf Viburnum | Viburnum rhytidophyllum | B · Seldom damaged | 5–8 |
| Mountain Juniper | Juniperus scopulorum cv. | B · Seldom damaged | 3–7 |
| Mugo Pine | Pinus mugo | B · Seldom damaged | 2–7 |
| Pfitzer Juniper | Juniperus chinensis 'Pfitzerana' | B · Seldom damaged | 4–9 |
| Privet | Ligustrurn sp. | B · Seldom damaged | 4–8 |
| Pyrenees Cotoneaster | Cotoneaster congestus | B · Seldom damaged | 6–8 |
| Red Chokeberry | Aronia arbutifolia | B · Seldom damaged | 4–9 |
| Red Osier Dogwood | Cornus sericea | B · Seldom damaged | 2–7 |
| Red Twigged Dogwood | Cornus alba | B · Seldom damaged | 2–8 |
| Redvein Enkianthus | Enkianthus campanulatus | B · Seldom damaged | 4–7 |
| Rockspray Cotoneaster | Cotoneaster horizontalis | B · Seldom damaged | 5–7 |
| Rose of Sharon | Hibiscus syriacus | B · Seldom damaged | 5–9 |
| Saucer Magnolia | Magnolia x soulangiana | B · Seldom damaged | 4–9 |
| Savin/Tam Juniper | Juniperus sabin cv. | B · Seldom damaged | 3–7 |
| Sea Buckthorn | Hippophae rhamnoides | B · Seldom damaged | 3–8 |
| Singleseed Juniper | Juniperus squamata cv. | B · Seldom damaged | 4–8 |
| Smokebush | Cotinus coggygria | B · Seldom damaged | 4–8 |
| Snowberry | Symphoricarpos albus | B · Seldom damaged | 3–7 |
| Spicebush | Lindera benzoin | B · Seldom damaged | 4–9 |
| St. John's Wort | Hypericum prolificum | B · Seldom damaged | 5–9 |
| Sweet Mock Orange | Philadelphus coronarius | B · Seldom damaged | 4–8 |
| Sweet Pepperbush | Clethra sp. | B · Seldom damaged | 4–9 |
| Virginia Sweetspire | Itea virginica | B · Seldom damaged | 5–9 |
| Weigela | Weigela florida | B · Seldom damaged | 4–8 |
| Willowleaf Cotoneaster | Cotoneaster salicifolius | B · Seldom damaged | 6–8 |
| Winterberry Holly | Ilex verticillata | B · Seldom damaged | 3–9 |
| Youngstown Andorra Juniper | Juniperus horizontalis 'Youngstown' | B · Seldom damaged | 3–9 |
Protect what you plant
Even deer-resistant plants get browsed when deer are hungry. The proven backups:
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