Deer are beautiful creatures that live in the natural habitats all around us. It can be exciting to see deer hanging out on your property, however, you should know that they are probably searching for food! It is common for our well-tended plants to be munched on by deer. To prevent vegetation damage, there are certain plants that you can place on your landscapes that are deemed, "deer-resistant." Although no plant is 100% deer-resistant, there are certain types that deer like to stay away from eating. Options like bleeding hearts, snapdragons, and fountain grass will all help deter deer from eating away at your landscape.


Deer-resistant perennial plants include bleeding hearts, foxglove, and more.

A yellow daylily flower on a property in Noblesville, IN.

Deer prefer eating evergreens from well-fertilized lawns. However, you cannot skip your fertilization treatments, as this will cause more harm than good. Instead, try adding some of these perennial plants that deer find distasteful and will not eat unless they have no choice.

Some deer-resistant perennial plants include:

  • Bleeding hearts: This plant is famous for being "deer-resistant" because they are toxic to most animals. You can plant this on your lawn as they provide a nice splash of color with blooms that come in pink, purple, and white.
  • Foxglove: Another poisonous plant is the foxglove that will help prevent deer from eating away at your vegetation while giving you vibrant hues of yellow, pink, purple, and white.
  • Coneflower: Planting coneflowers in your lawn will not only increase your curb appeal due to their stunning appearance but will also keep deer away. The coneflower's spiky center is not palatable for deer, so they won't eat this plant.
  • Stella D'Oro Daylilies: Most daylilies are a favorite among deer. However, deer seem to be shying away from the Stella D'Oro daylilies, so this would be a great addition to make your landscape deer-resistant.

Keep Your Landscape Stunning & Deer-Resistant with These Annuals

Many marigolds growing by a home in Carmel, IN.

Annual plants typically bloom for a longer period than perennial plants, however, they die off at the end of the season, requiring them to be pulled and replaced. When choosing your annuals for the fall or spring season, consider the types that deer do not like to feed on. Deer-resistant annuals not only offer beautiful pops of seasonal color but also offer peace of mind that deer won't come munching on your new plants.

Check out some of these deer-resistant annual plants:

  • Snapdragons: These attractive flowers have a textured stem that deer won't eat unless they have no other choice. The colors of these flowers vary between pink, peach, purple, orange, and yellow.
  • Marigolds: These flowers are considered deer-resistant due to their strong fragrance. Marigolds add a touch of yellow to your landscape, further boosting your curb appeal while staying free of deer damage.
  • Scented Geraniums: Just like marigolds, scented geraniums will deter deer due to their strong fragrance.
  • Sweet Alyssum: Sweet alyssums are flowers that, again, are avoided by deer due to their fragrance. Their low-growing flowers come in purple, white, and pink.

Deer typically stay away from toxic, thorny, and fuzzy plants as well as fragrant herbs and flowers.


Deer do not like the texture and taste of these ornamental grasses.

Most ornamental grass has foliage with a coarse texture, which deer are not fond of. These plants also offer many other benefits including little to no maintenance requirements and high drought tolerance. Some examples of deer-resistant ornamental grasses include:

  • Hardy Pampas grass
  • Fountain grass
  • Switchgrass
  • Japanese Silver grass

Looking to add some of these deer-resistant plants? Call today!

A well-maintained landscape requires hard work, so it can be very disappointing when you find that deer have taken to munching on your vegetation. Our team at Spider Lawn & Landscape can help you choose the right perennials, annuals, and ornamental grasses that work best with your property and are also deer-resistant.

We offer flower planting services in the Noblesville, Indiana area, including Carmel and Westfield. If your home or business is located nearby, give our team a call today at (317) 900-7151.