Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Monday - April 28, 2008

From: Kerrville, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Deer Resistant
Title: Fast-growing, deer resistant native plants for Kerrville, TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

I'm looking for a plant that will spread quickly and thickly on a very steep slope. The area to be covered is 60'long x 5'high and is crumbly limestone with full sun and very dry. We have a large herd of whitetail deer that travel through the yard several times each day, eating everything in sight, even the highly deer-resistant plants, so this plant would have to be something that they REALLY don't like.

ANSWER:

Okay, first you're going to have some supplemental reading. From our Recommended Species Special Collections "Just for Texans" here is a list of 345 plants, Deer Resistant Plants, considered to be somewhat distasteful to deer. Another list, from the Rutgers Experimental Station, has a list of plants rated by their resistance to deer browsing. And, finally, a list from the West Virginia Extension Service on Resistance of Ornamentals to Deer Damage. You do, we're sure, understand that there is virtually nothing, except maybe the doghouse, that deer will not eat if they are hungry enough. When there has been a dry spell and a lot of the natural browse has disappeared, the deer know where to go for a nice buffet, and it's called gardens. The deer do seem to stay away from aromatic plants, and rough foliage or stickers and thorns are also not on their favorites list. We are going to go through the Texas list from our Native Plant Database and select some herbaceous perennials, shrubs and grasses or grass-like plants, suitable for your part of Texas, that might work for you. You will have to make the decision, based on your individual layout, whether to try one plant covering the whole area, or a mix, sort of a desert meadow, if you will. Remember, if you stick to just one plant, and you happen to have a group of deer who love that plant, you are foiled. We recommend a mix, tall, short, etc. and if one plant doesn't make it, there will be others to fill in its space. Follow each plant link and read the information, including how resistant it is to deer. When you have made some plant decisions, here are some Native Plant Suppliers in the Kerrville area who can give you assistance in finding the plants you need.

HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS

Asclepias asperula (spider milkweed)

Allium drummondii (Drummond's onion)

Phyla nodiflora (turkey tangle fogfruit)

Vernonia lindheimeri (woolly ironweed)

SHRUBS

Chrysactinia mexicana (damianita)

Dasylirion wheeleri (common sotol)

Leucophyllum frutescens (Texas barometer bush)

Mahonia trifoliolata (agarita)

GRASSES OR GRASS-LIKE PLANTS

Carex texensis (Texas sedge)

Nassella tenuissima (finestem needlegrass)

Nolina lindheimeriana (devil's shoestring)

Sorghastrum nutans (Indiangrass)


Allium drummondii

Asclepias asperula

Phyla nodiflora

Vernonia lindheimeri

Chrysactinia mexicana

Dasylirion wheeleri

Leucophyllum frutescens

Mahonia trifoliolata

Carex texensis

Nassella tenuissima

Nolina lindheimeriana

Sorghastrum nutans

 

 

 

More Deer Resistant Questions

Native plants both deer resistant and good for erosion from North Oaks MN
August 23, 2012 - We have several partially sunny areas on hills that are prone to both deer and erosion. Our goal is to reduce runoff in an effort to preserve the watershed that provides tap water to many citizens of ...
view the full question and answer

Deer Resistance and Erosion Control for St. Louis County MO
January 03, 2014 - I am looking for deer and rabbit resistant native plants for erosion control on a steep ravine slope with part sun and part shade in St. Louis County MO.
view the full question and answer

Texas natives that attract butterflies but not deer
December 13, 2012 - I'd like to have some plants in my garden that are butterfly attractors, but that whitetail deer won't like. I can find lists of butterfly plants, and lists of deer-resistant plants -- is there a li...
view the full question and answer

Deer resistant low-lying plants for Michigan
May 13, 2009 - I want to create a bed of low lying plants (under 4 ft.)in the front of my cottage. The soil is completely sandy and gets eastern sun in the AM. There are many deer in the area.
view the full question and answer

Deer resistant plants for Trinity, TX
March 23, 2013 - I need a list of deer resistant flowers, herbs and plants that would could be planted in Trinity, Texas.
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.