Deer-Resistant Native Plants

Deer pressure is a fact of gardening across the Capital Region, and it is the reason many first attempts at a native planting fail. No plant is truly deer-proof — a hungry enough animal in a hard winter will browse almost anything — but some species are passed over reliably enough to build a garden around. The plants below carry aromatic foliage, bitter sap, fuzzy or leathery leaves, or textures deer simply dislike. A practical approach: use these as the backbone of beds that sit away from the house, where you are least able to intervene, and save the more vulnerable species for spots you pass daily. Young plants of any species are more vulnerable than established ones, so protect new plantings for their first season or two even when the species is listed here.