We don’t consider ANY plant totally safe when browsing deer are in the area. However, experience has shown that some plants can be successfully grown in areas frequented by our four-legged friends.
New plantings are at the highest risk of being eaten and damaged. Often, to establish new plantings, we recommend you fence your plants or use a recommended deer repellent.
Deer-Resistant Plant List
The plants listed below are considered “best bets” in Trinity County deer country. The number in the first column indicates the level of resistance:
1 = very resistant
2 = resistant
3 = somewhat resistant
The list is presented in two sections: Annual, Perennial & Vine, then Shrubs & Trees. Each section is sorted by common name with the botanical name, where different, in parentheses.
Deer-Resistant Annuals, Perennials and Vines
| Annuals | Perennials (cont.) | ||
| 3 | Alyssum | 2 | Ground Ivy (Glechoma) |
| 3 | Snapdragon | 1 | Iris |
| 3 | Vinca rosea | 2 | Lambs Ears (Stachys) |
| 2 | Zinnia | 1 | Lavender (Lavandula) |
| 1 | Lavender Cotton (Santolina) | ||
| Perennials | 3 | Lupine (Lupinus) | |
| 3 | Astilbe (Astilbe) | 1 | Oregano (Origanum) |
| 3 | Beard Tongue (Penstemon) | 1 | Pampas Grass (Cortaderia) |
| 2 | Bee Balm (Monarda) | 2 | Peony (Paeonia) |
| 2 | Blanket Flower (Gaillardia) | 2 | Periwinkle (Vinca) |
| 2 | Bleeding Heart (Dicentra) | 2 | Poppy (Papaver) |
| 2 | California Poppy (Eschscholzia) | 2 | Pussy Toes (Antennaria) |
| 3 | Candytuft (Iberis) | 1 | Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia) |
| 2 | Carpet Bugle (Ajuga) | 2 | Sage (Salvia) |
| 2 | Catmint (Nepeta) | 2 | Saxifraga (Saxifraga) |
| 3 | Columbine (Aquilegia) | 2 | Shasta Daisy (Chrysanthemum maximum) |
| 3 | Cone Flower (Echinacea) | 1 | Snow-in-Summer (Cerastium) |
| 2 | Coreopsis | 2 | Speedwell (Veronica) |
| 2 | Cranesbill (Geranium) | 1 | St. Johnswort (Hypericum) |
| 1 | Creeping Phlox | 2 | Sweet Woodruff (Gallium) |
| 1 | Daffodils (Narcissus) | 2 | Thrift (Armeria) |
| 2 | Daylily (Hemerocallis) | 1 | Thyme (Thymus) |
| 2 | Dead Nettle (Lamium) | 2 | Turf Lily (Liriope) |
| 1 | Dusty Miller (Artemisia) | 2 | Yarrow (Achillea) |
| 1 | Fern (all) | ||
| 2 | Fleabane (Erigeron) | Vines | |
| 1 | Foxglove (Digitalis) | 2 | Common Hops (Humulus lupulus) |
| 2 | Gloriosa Daisy (Rudbeckia) | 2 | Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) |
| 2 | Grass, ornamental (all) | 3 | Wisteria |
Deer-Resistant Trees and Shrubs
| Name | Size & Form | |
| 2 | Ash (Fraxinus) | low & tall trees |
| 2 | Bamboo (all) | tall shrub |
| 1 | Barberry (Berberis) | low, medium & tall shrubs |
| 2 | Broom (Cytisus, Genista) | low, medium & tall shrubs |
| 2 | Buckeye (Aesculus) | low & medium trees |
| 2 | Butterfly Bush (Buddleia) | medium & tall shrubs |
| 1 | Cedar (Cedrus) | low & tall tree |
| 3 | Coffeeberry/Buckthorn (Rhamnus) | tall shrub |
| 3 | Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster) | low , medium & tall shrubs |
| 2 | Currant/Gooseberry (Ribes) | medium shrub |
| 2 | Daphne (Daphne) | low & medium shrubs |
| 2 | Fir (Abies sp., Pseudotsuga) | low shrub, tall tree |
| 3 | Firethorn (Pyracantha) | medium & tall shrubs |
| 2 | Flowering Plum (Prunus) | tall shrub, low tree |
| 3 | Flowering Quince (Chaenomeles) | low, medium & tall shrubs |
| 1 | Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) | tall tree |
| 2 | Hawthorn (Crataegus) | tall tree |
| 2 | Heather/Heath (Erica) | ground cover, low shrub |
| 3 | Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina) | low & medium shrubs |
| 2 | Holly (Ilex) | medium & tall shrubs |
| 2 | Incense Cedar (Calocedrus decurrens) | tall tree |
| 2 | Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) | tall shrub, low tree |
| 2 | Japanese Spurge (Pachysandra) | ground cover |
| 1 | Juniper (Juniperus) | ground cover, low, medium & some tall shrubs |
| 2 | Leyland Cypress (Cupressocyparis leylandii) | low tree |
| 3 | Lilac (Syringa) | medium & tall shrubs |
| 1 | Magnolia (M. stellata & M. soulangiana) | tall shrub, low tree |
| 2 | Maidenhair Tree (Ginkgo biloba) | medium tree |
| 3 | Manzanita (Arctostaphylos) | ground cover, low & tall shrubs |
| 1 | Oregon Grape (Mahonia) | ground cover, low & tall shrubs |
| 1 | Pine (Pinus) | low & medium shrubs, tall tree |
| 3 | Redbud (Cercis) | tall shrub, low tree |
| 2 | Rhododendron (large leaf varieties) | low, medium & tall shrubs |
| 2 | Rockrose (Cistus) | medium shrub |
| 1 | Rosemary (Rosmarinus) | ground cover, low & medium shrubs |
| 2 | Rugosa Rose (Rosa rugosa) | medium shrub |
| 3 | Silverberry (Elaeagnus) | tall shrub |
| 3 | Spiraea (Spiraea) | low & medium shrubs |
| 3 | Snowberry (Symphoricarpos) | medium shrub |
| 1 | Spruce (Picea) | ground cover, low shrub, low & tall trees |
| 2 | Sumac (Rhus) | tall shrub, low tree |
| 2 | Sweet Gum (Liquidambar) | tall tree |
| 2 | Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) | tall shrub, low tree |
| 3 | Vine Maple (Acer circinatum) | tall shrub, low tree |
| 3 | Yew (Taxus) | low, medium & tall shrubs |
| 1 | Yucca (Yucca) | medium & tall shrubs |
Trinity Nursery & Gift Shop 