If deer are causing trouble in your outdoor spaces, try planting deer-resistant annuals to keep them away. Annuals can provide colorful blooms for the season and some varieties are unappealing to deer due to taste, smell, or texture. We asked gardening experts for their top suggestions on deer-resistant annuals that will enhance your garden while keeping deer at bay.
Meet Our Experts:
– Ward Dilmore, founder and head landscape designer at Petrus Luxury Estate Landscaping Company
– Troy Hake, owner of Outsidepride seed company
– Tammy Sons, founder and CEO of TN Nursery
Marigolds:
Marigolds offer vibrant pops of color with their pom-pom-shaped flowers in shades of yellow, orange, red, or gold. These low-maintenance annuals have a strong scent that deer dislike. Ward Dilmore recommends planting marigolds in full sun among vegetables to deter pests and insects.
USDA Zones: 2 to 11
Light: Full sun
Soil: Well-draining, moist soil
Zinnias:
Zinnias feature full flowers resembling daisies in various bright colors like red, pink, purple, and more. Their scent and texture make them unappealing to deer, making them a great choice for deterring these animals. Tammy Sons suggests planting zinnias in sunny areas with consistent watering and deadheading for vibrant blooms.
USDA Zones: 2 to 11
Light: Full sun
Soil: Well-draining soil
Snapdragons:
Snapdragons are colorful perennials often grown as annuals, with hues ranging from white to pink, purple, and more. Their bitter taste deters deer from eating them. Dilmore advises planting snapdragons in full sun, watering regularly, and deadheading to promote new blooms.
USDA Zones: 7 to 11
Light: Full to partial sun
Soil: Well-draining, moist soil
Sweet Alyssum:
Sweet alyssum is a cool season annual with flowers in white, pink, purple, and peach. Its strong scent repels deer, and the plants are low-maintenance. Dilmore recommends keeping the soil evenly moist for these ground cover plants.
USDA Zones: 5 to 9
Light: Full to partial sun
Soil: Well-draining, moist soil
Spider Flowers (Cleome):
Spider flowers, also known as cleome, produce delicate blooms in pink, purple, or white. Their odor and texture deter deer, making them a unique and self-seeding annual choice for full-sun areas. Dilmore suggests letting them self-seed for self-sustaining blooms each year.
USDA Zones: 10 to 11
Light: Full to partial sun.
Exposure: Partial sun
Soil: Well-draining, acidic or neutral
Verbena, also known as vervain, is a versatile and vibrant flowering plant that blooms in striking shades of purple, pink, white, and red. This low-maintenance plant comes in various varieties, some being annuals and others perennials. Verbena’s bitter taste and coarse leaves act as a natural deterrent to deer.
“The verbena plant produces vibrant clusters of blooms and thrives in sunny, well-drained areas. Regularly pinching back spent blooms stimulates continued growth,” says Sons. “These plants not only provide colorful displays but also help repel deer, making them an excellent choice for any garden.”
USDA Zones: 8 to 11
Light: Full sun
Soil: Well-draining, moist
Lantana, with its brilliant colored flower clusters ranging from yellow to red, pink, purple, white, and orange, is a fast-growing plant. It is a perennial in warmer regions and an annual in areas with cold winters. The rough leaves, strong scent, and mild toxins of lantana act as deterrents to deer.
USDA Zones: 7 to 11
Light: Full sun
Soil: Well-draining, neutral
Cornflowers, also known as bachelor’s buttons, are deer-resistant wildflowers that bloom in shades of blue, purple, pink, red, and white. These versatile annuals thrive in full sun or partial shade and require moist, well-draining soil. Cornflowers grow rapidly and attract beneficial insects and butterflies, making them a valuable addition to any garden.
USDA Zones: 2 to 11
Light: Full to partial sun
Soil: Moist, well-draining
California poppies feature bright blooms in shades of yellow, gold, and orange, with cultivars available in pink, red, and cream. These easy-to-grow flowers are considered short-lived perennials in warm climates and annuals in temperate regions. Due to their bitter taste, deer usually avoid California poppy plants.
“The optimal time to sow California poppy seeds is in fall or early spring,” advises Troy Hake, owner of Outsidepride seed company. “They thrive in full sun and sandy or rocky soils.”
USDA Zones: 6 to 10
Light: Full sun
Soil: Sandy, well-draining
Calendula, also known as pot marigold, showcases sunny, daisy-like blooms in gold hues. Deer tend to avoid calendula due to its bitter taste and strong aroma. While calendula thrives in full sun, it can also tolerate partial shade. Seeds can be sown after the last frost in spring.
USDA Zones: 2 to 11
Light: Full to partial sun
Soil: Well-draining, neutral
Related: Understanding the Difference Between Annual and Perennial Plants for Your Garden
This text has been adapted from an article
