Native Plants

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.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

rate this answer

Monday - August 16, 2010
From: Great Falls, VA
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Deer Resistant
Title: Deer--resistant plants for Great Falls, VA
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
We have just moved to a house with a rural garden enjoyed by us and the deer. Can you recommend any deer resistant plants for ths location ? ( We have full sun and shade - zip code 22066. Thanks,ANSWER:
We have a list of deer resistant species that cover all of North America. By using the sidebar on the page with the list we selected for Virginia and got this List of 108 possibilities, which include shrubs, trees, herbaceous blooming plants and grasses. We will go through that list and find some of each type of plant that should work for you. Since you didn't mention whether you have sun or shade, soil moisture or some of the other things we would ordinarily check on, you will need to follow each plant link to our webpage on that plant to learn what growing conditions it requires. Using the same method of searching on the deer resistant list you can select according to light available, soil moisture and so forth. Note this paragraph which heads the list:
"Few plants are completely deer resistant. Several factors influence deer browsing including the density of the deer population, environmental conditions such as drought, and plant palatability. Deer tend to avoid plants with aromatic foliage, tough leathery and/or hairy or prickly leaves or plants with milky latex or sap. Try using some of the plants listed here to minimize deer damage to your landscape."
In particular, consider grasses; there are many ornamental grasses native to Virginia and deer seldom bother grass.
Deer Resistant Plants for Virginia:
Herbaceous Blooming Plants:
Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly milkweed)
Coreopsis tinctoria (golden tickseed)
Iris virginica (Virginia iris)
Lobelia cardinalis (cardinalflower)
Shrubs:
Desmanthus illinoensis (Illinois bundleflower)
Cephalanthus occidentalis (common buttonbush)
Trees:
Cercis canadensis (eastern redbud)
Crataegus viridis (green hawthorn)
Juniperus virginiana (eastern redcedar)
Taxodium distichum (bald cypress)
Grasses:
Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem)
Bouteloua dactyloides (buffalograss)
Chasmanthium latifolium (Inland sea oats)
Muhlenbergia capillaris (hairawn muhly)
From our Native Plant Image Gallery:
More Deer Resistant Questions
Deer-resistant groundcover under pine trees
June 07, 2008 - what kind of ground covering can be planted under pine trees (acid soil) that the deer will not eat and will not attract bees?
view the full question and answer
Deer Resistant Plants for Northern Virginia
September 22, 2010 - I'm looking for deer resistant shade plants in Northern Virginia. The deer have devoured my hostas, impatiens and native toad lily plants, day lilies.
view the full question and answer
Native, deer-resistant flowering plants attractive to bees
February 03, 2008 - I am adding several beehives to our property this spring. I would also like to add more native, flowering, deer-resistant plants that bees love as well. Any recommendations? I live in SW Austin, qui...
view the full question and answer
Native, deer-resistant evergreen trees for Rhode Island
March 17, 2008 - What deer proof evergreens can I plant in RI that may make nice xmas trees in a few years?
view the full question and answer
Food for deer and turkey in Oklahoma
September 10, 2009 - We recently moved to NE Oklahoma from Texas and have 7 acres, a lot of wild turkeys and wild deer. About 2-3 acres are open, with sun and partial to lots of shade as the rest is heavily wooded.
What ...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |