Deer-Resistant Plants for Central Oregon
Below is a list of plants that tend to be more deer-resistant. Deer-resistant
does not mean deer-proof, and even the plants on this list will get nibbled on
from time to time. Deer browsing depends upon the available food source for
that year, time of year, location, deer species, and simple curiosity. The only sure-fire
way to keep the deer from nibbling is to put up a tall enough fence. Use this list as a
guideline and good luck!
Trees
Trees
Botanical Name
Common Name
Botanical Name
Common Name
Abies concolor
Concolor Fir
Pinus aristata
Bristlecone Pine
Abies grandis
Grand Fir
Pinus mugo
Mugo Pine
Abies lasiocarpa
Sub-alpine Fir
Pinus nigra
Austrian Pine
Acer circinatum
Vine Maple
Pinus sylvestris
Scots Pine
Acer negundo
Boxelder
Prunus serrulata
Betula papyrifera
Paper Birch
Japanese Flowering
Cherry
Quercus palustris
Pin Oak
Betula pendula
European White Birch
Quercus rubra
Red Oak
Calocedrus decurrens
Incense Cedar
Robinia pseudoacacia
Black Locust
Cedrus negundo
Atlas Cedar
Robinia x ambigua
“Idahoensis”
Pink Idaho Locust
Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Port Orford Cedar
Cornus kousa
Kousa Dogwood
Salix matsudana t
ortuosa
Corkscrew Willow
Crataegus laevigata
English Hawthorn
Sorbus aucuparia
Mountain Ash
Elaeagnus angustifolia
Russian Olive
Syringa reticulata
Japanese Tree Lilac
Fagus sylvatica
European Beech
Fraxinus spp.
Green Ash or White
Ash
Gleditsia triacanthos
Honey Locust
Ilex spp.
Shrubs
Berberis spp.
Barberry
Buddleja davidii
Butterfly Bush
Holly
Caragana spp.
Pea Shrub
Juniperus spp.
Juniper
Caryopteris clandonenis Bluebeard
Larix occidentalis
Western Larch
Chaenomeles spp.
Flowering Quince
Picea abies
Norway Spruce
Desert Sweet
Picea glauca
White Spruce
Chamaebatiaria millifolium
Picea pungens
Colorado Blue Spruce
(cultivars)
Chrysothamnus nauseo- Gray Rabbitbrush
sus
Information compiled by Paul MacMillan, OSU Master GardenerTM
and Amy Jo Detweiler, Horticulture Faculty for Central Oregon
Oct 2008
Shrubs
Vines
Botanical Name
Common Name
Botanical Name
Common Name
Chrysothamnus
viscidiflorus
Green Rabbitbrush
Clematis spp.
Clematis
Cornus stolonifera
Red Osier Dogwood
Hedera helix
English Ivy
Cotinus coggygria
Smoke Tree
Wisteria floribunda
Japanese Wisteria
Cotoneaster spp.
Cotoneaster
Daphne spp.
Daphne
Forsythia spp.
Forsythia
Genista lydia
False Broom
Ilex spp.
Holly
Juniperus spp.
Juniper
Kolkwitzia amabilis
Beauty Bush
Ligustrum spp.
Privet
Lonicera tatarica ‘Arnold’s
Red’
Arnold’s Red Honeysuckle
Mahonia aquifolium
Perennials & Bulbs
Achillea spp.
Yarrow
Aconitum spp.
Monkshood
Adenophora confusa
Ladybells
Aegopodium podagraria
Bishop’s Weed
Agastache rupestris
Hyssop
Ajuga reptans
Carpet Bugle
Allium spp.
Onion/Garlic
Allium senescens ‘Glaucum’
Ornamental Onion
Amorpha canescens
Leadplant
Oregon Grape Holly
Anthemis spp.
Marguerite Daisy
Opuntia spp.
Prickly Pear
Aquilegia spp.
Columbine
Picea abies ‘Pumila’
Pumila Spruce
Artemisia spp.
Wormwood or Sage
Potentilla fruticosa
Shrubby Potentilla
Artemisia tridentata
Big Sagebrush
Pyracantha spp.
Firethorn
Aurinia saxatilis
Basket of Gold
Rhamnus spp.
Buckthorn
Balsamorhiza sagittata
Arrow-leaf Balsamroot
Rhododendron spp.
Rhododendron
Baptisia australis
False Indigo
Sambucus racemosa
Red Elderberry
Caryopteris clandonenis
Bluebeard
Shepherdia canadensis
Buffaloberry
Centaurea cyanus
Bachelor’s Button
Spiraea nipponica
Snowmound Spirea
Cerastium tomentosum
Snow in Summer
Syringa vulgaris
Common Lilac
Coreopsis grandiflora
Coreopsis or Tickseed
Viburnum spp.
Viburnum
Coreopsis verticillata
Threadleaf Coreopsis
Yucca filamentosa
Adam’s Needle Yucca
Delphinium spp.
Delphinium
Dianthus barbatus
Sweet William
Perennials
Perennials
Botanical Name
Common Name
Botanical Name
Common Name
Dianthus deltoides
Maiden Pinks
Lychnis coronaria
Rose Campion
Dicentra spp.
Bleeding Heart
Narcissus spp.
Daffodil, Narcissus
Digitalis spp.
Foxglove
Nepeta spp.
Catmint
Echinacea purpurea
Purple Coneflower
Oenothera spp.
Evening Primrose
Eriogonum spp.
Buckwheat
Origanum spp.
Oregano
Euphorbia spp.
Spurge
Paeonia spp.
Peony
Falugia paradoxa
Apache Plume
Papaver orientale
Oriental Poppy
Gaillardia spp.
Blanket Flower
Penstemon spp.
Penstemon
Galium odoratum
Sweet Woodruff
Perovskia atriplicifolia
Russian Sage
Geranium spp.
Cranesbill
Physostegia virginiana
Obedient Plant
Geum spp.
Grecian Rose
Potentilla verna ‘Nana’
Creeping potentilla
Gypsophila spp.
Baby Breath
Ratibida spp.
Mexican Hat
Helenium spp.
Sneezeweed
Rheum spp.
Rhubarb
Helianthus spp.
Sunflower
Rudbeckia spp.
Black-eyed Susan
Helleborus spp.
Hellebore
Salvia nemorosa
Sage
Hemerocallis spp.
Daylily
Santolina chamaecyparissus Lavender Cotton
Hesperis matronalis
Dame’s Rocket
Saponaria spp.
Soapwort
Hyssopus officinalis
Hyssop
Scabiosa spp.
Pincushion
Iris spp.
Iris
Silene spp.
Catchfly
Kniphofia uvaria
Red-hot Poker
Solidago spp.
Goldenrod
Lamium spp.
Deadnettle
Stachys byzantina
Lamb’s Ear
Lavandula spp.
Lavender
Sphaeralcea munroana
Orange Globe Mallow
Liatris spp.
Gayfeather
Tanacetum spp.
Tansy & Feverfew
Linum lewisii
Blue Flax
Teucrium spp.
Germander
Lomatium spp.
Desert Parsley
Thymus spp.
Thyme
Lupinus spp.
Lupine
Vinca minor
Periwinkle
Lychnis chalcedonica
Maltese Cross
Wyethia spp.
Mule’s Ears
For more information on how to reduce deer damage in
your yard check out these publications:
Reduce Deer Damage in Your Yard at:
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pdf/ec/ec1557.pdf
For local gardening publications go to:
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/deschutes/Horticulture/
Check out our other OSU gardening publications at :
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/