The presence of deer in residential areas often creates a conflict between gardeners and wildlife populations. These hungry animals view cultivated flower beds as convenient sources of nutrition, leading to widespread damage to floral plantings. Understanding which plants deer prefer and which they tend to avoid is the first step toward protecting a landscape. By identifying the flowers most at risk, homeowners can make informed choices to ensure their gardens thrive.
Deer’s Favorite Floral Meals
Deer are particularly attracted to flowers and foliage that are tender, high in moisture, and easy to digest. Common garden perennials like hostas are a prime example, offering broad, succulent leaves rich in water and nutrients. Daylilies are also highly targeted, with deer often consuming the tender flower buds before they bloom.
The sweet, carbohydrate-rich bulbs of spring flowers, particularly tulips, make them irresistible targets after a long winter. Even plants with physical defenses, such as roses, are not safe, as deer will strip the fragrant petals, buds, and soft new growth despite the presence of thorns. Annuals like impatiens and pansies also consistently attract browsing deer due to their soft texture and high water content.
Flowers Deer Generally Ignore
Many flowering plants have evolved natural defenses that make them unappealing to deer, allowing them to largely escape browsing pressure. One category of defense is a strong, pungent scent, which deer find overwhelming and distasteful. Plants like lavender, bee balm (Monarda), and ornamental onions (Allium) fall into this group, as their aromatic foliage creates a natural deterrent barrier.
Another effective defense is a rough, fuzzy, or unpleasant texture, which makes the plant difficult for deer to chew. The leaves of plants like lamb’s ear or certain varieties of heartleaf brunnera have a texture similar to sandpaper, prompting deer to seek softer forage. Finally, many avoided flowers contain chemical compounds or toxins, such as the cardiac glycosides in foxglove (Digitalis) and the alkaloids in daffodils (Narcissus), which deer instinctually recognize as potentially harmful.
Factors Influencing Deer Browsing Behavior
While a flower may be classified as “deer-resistant,” this designation is not a guarantee of protection, as a deer’s diet is highly flexible and influenced by environmental conditions. Seasonal changes have a strong impact; in early spring, deer are desperate for fresh, tender shoots after winter, making them less selective. Conversely, late fall drives them to seek calorie-dense plants to build up fat reserves for the coming cold. When natural food sources are severely limited, such as during a prolonged drought or a harsh winter, deer will browse on almost anything to survive. High deer population density in a localized area also increases browsing pressure, as competition for preferred food forces individuals to consume less palatable species.