Deer Resistant Perennials

Thanks to Walter Siegmund for this image.

Fern – Adianthum pedatum

Northern Maidenhair Fern

Native to North America; finely textured, even frilly fronds on a black stem; Grower’s Choice

Deer Resistant
Shade Tolerant
Grower’s Choice
Part Shade

Agapanthus ‘Twister’

Lily of the Nile / African Lily

Stunning new bicolor purple/white variety; Blooms mid-late summer; Deer and rabbit resistant; Salt and wind tolerant; Attracts pollinators;

Deer Resistant
Rare/Unusual
Grower’s Choice
Thanks to Hedwig Storch for this image.

Anemone De Caen ‘Blue Poppy’

Satiny true-blue poppy-like flowers with deep blue button centers; delicate lacy foliage surrounds the base of the stalks; full-sun to afternoon shade

Deer Resistant

Anemone De Caen ‘Bordeaux’

Deep plum-scarlet poppy-like flowers with an indigo throat surrounding deep purple button centers; delicate lacy foliage surrounds the base of the stalks; full-sun to afternoon shade

Deer Resistant
Grower’s Choice

Anemone De Caen ‘Carmel White’

Satiny pure white poppy-like flowers with deep purple button centers; delicate lacy foliage surrounds the base of the stalks; full-sun to afternoon shade

Deer Resistant
Grower’s Choice

Anemone De Caen ‘Lord Lieutenant’

Double petaled deep indigo flowers with deep purple button centers; delicate lacy foliage surrounds the base of the stalks; full-sun to afternoon shade

Deer Resistant
Thanks to Ghislain Chenais for this image.

Anemone De Caen ‘Sylphide’

Satiny bright magenta poppy-like flowers with deep purple button centers and a corona of yellow stamens; delicate lacy foliage surrounds the base of the stalks; full-sun to afternoon shade

Deer Resistant
Thanks to Jamain for this image.

Aquilegia Songbird

Columbine

Various colours ranging from deep red to pale pink with long spurs; Grower’s Choice.

Deer Resistant
Grower’s Choice
Part Shade
Thanks to Derek Ramsey and Chanticleer Garden for this image.

Aquilegia vulgaris var. stellata ‘Ruby Port’

Double columbine

Heirloom variety from 1600’s; gorgeous wine-red double spur-less blooms; blooms late spring to early summer

Deer Resistant
Part Shade

Arisaema griffithii

Cobra Lily

Unusual and dramatic rare woodlander; a calla-like hooded flower is deep deep purple netted through with chartreuse veins; between the snakeskin-like colour and the unusual shape of the flower, it may look like a cobra rearing out of the shade; Grower’s Choice

Deer Resistant
Rare/Unusual
Shade Tolerant
Grower’s Choice
Part Shade
Thanks to Karlostachys for this image.

Arisaema speciosum

Giant Cobra Lily

Unusual rare woodlander; a true show-stopper, with a long calla-like bloom that is wine-purple verging on black; the spadix is thick but trails down into a deep red thread that curls gracefully down; Grower’s Choice

Deer Resistant
Rare/Unusual
Shade Tolerant
Grower’s Choice
Part Shade

Arum italicum

Lords and Ladies

Summer dormant; sets out leaves in fall for winter green; tracery of white lines on leaves; Grower’s Choice

Deer Resistant
Rare/Unusual
Grower’s Choice

Asarum splendens

Wild Chinese Ginger

Wonderfully mottled leaves; very dark green with splashes of silver; unique cup-shaped blooms in spring are purple to chocolate; part to full shade; Grower’s Choice

Deer Resistant
Rare/Unusual
Shade Tolerant
Grower’s Choice
Thanks to Line1 for this image.

Fern – Asplenium scolopendrium

Hart’s Tongue Fern

Evergreen tongue-shaped chartreuse leaves with wavy margins; RHS AGM winner; rabbit resistant; Grower’s Choice

Deer Resistant
Shade Tolerant
Grower’s Choice
Part Shade
Thanks to Midori for this image.

Bletilla striata

Hardy Chinese Orchid

Pinkish-purple orchid-like flowers bloom in mid-late spring; naturalizes slowly

Deer Resistant
Rare/Unusual
Part Shade
Thanks to Gentry George for this image.

Camassia esculenta

Purple Camas

Tall spires of starry blue-violet flowers in mid spring; Native to Pacific Northwest; Drought and deer resistant; Grower’s Choice

Deer Resistant
Rare/Unusual
Grower’s Choice
Part Shade
Good Cut Flower
Thanks to Aha for this image.

Convallaria majalis ‘Rosea’

Pink Lily of the Valley

Fragrant tiny pink bell-shaped flowers; will grow in sites where nothing else will; tolerates deep shade to full sun; naturalizes readily

Deer Resistant
Rare/Unusual
Fragrant
Good Cut Flower
Thanks to David J. Stang for this image.

Crocosmia ‘Emily Mckenzie’

Attracts hummingbirds; Deep orange blooms with a mahogany throat; Cousin of gladiolas; Sword-shaped leaves with tall arching spires of blossoms; Blooms late summer to early fall

Deer Resistant
Rare/Unusual
Part Shade
Good Cut Flower
Thanks to Kenpei for this image.

Dicentra formosa aurora

Fern-leafed Bleeding Heart

Creamy white blooms with delicate gray-green foliage; Grower’s Choice

Deer Resistant
Rare/Unusual
Shade Tolerant
Grower’s Choice
Part Shade
Thanks to Peganum for this image.

Dicentra spectabilis ‘Valentine’

Specialty Bleeding Heart

Stunning special variety; deep red puffy “bustles” with a white tip; Grower’s Choice

Deer Resistant
Rare/Unusual
Shade Tolerant
Grower’s Choice
Part Shade
Thanks to C.T. Johansson for this image.

Dodecatheon ‘Aphrodite’

Shooting Star

Delicate woodlander; rosette of low rounded leaves surround a dark stem which sports multiple pink flowers; full / part shade; Grower’s Choice

Deer Resistant
Rare/Unusual
Grower’s Choice
Part Shade
Thanks to Bjorn S. for this image.

Erythronium dens-canis

Dog’s Tooth Violet

Woodland spring ephemeral with delicate pink blooms and beautifully marbled purple/green/brown foliage, deer & rabbit resistant; Grower’s Choice

Deer Resistant
Rare/Unusual
Grower’s Choice
Part Shade

Eucomis

Pink Pineapple Lily

A spike of delicate magenta flowers topped with a crown of leaves makes this perennial look just like a pink pineapple; full sun; fragrant; good cut flower

Deer Resistant
Rare/Unusual
Part Shade
Thanks to 123xh for this image.

Iris siberica

Siberian Iris

Extremely drought tolerant once established; deer & rabbit resistant; foliage doesn’t get ratty-looking like their bearded cousins; Grower’s Choice

Deer Resistant
Grower’s Choice
Drought Tolerant

Ismene ‘Advance’

Peruvian Daffodil / Spider Lily

Fragrant spider-like white blooms with pale green throats; ideal for cut flowers; flowers in late summer; Grower’s Choice

Deer Resistant
Rare/Unusual
Grower’s Choice
Part Shade
Fragrant
Thanks to Hans Bernhard for this image.

Leucojum aestivum

Summer Snowflake

Sweet white bell-shaped flowers in late spring; somewhat similar to snowdrops in appearance but larger and blooms much later into the season; adapts to heavy clay soils and will naturalize slowly; Grower’s Choice

Deer Resistant
Rare/Unusual
Grower’s Choice
Part Shade
Thanks to Kor An for this image.

Fern – Matteuccia struthiopteris

Ostrich Fern

Produces edible fiddleheads in spring; soft and fine fronds

Deer Resistant
Shade Tolerant
Part Shade
Thanks to JJ Harrison for this image.

Sprekelia formossisima

Deer Resistant
Rare/Unusual
Thanks to Karelj for this image.

Thalictrum delavayi

Chinese Meadow Rue

Delicate and airily graceful blooms with deeply divided maidenhair-like foliage; clouds of pale pink buttercup-like blooms hang off tall stems like baby’s breath; full sun to part-shade; likes protection from afternoon sun and heat; deer and rabbit resistant; good cut flower; RHS AGM Winner; Grower’s Choice

Deer Resistant
Rare/Unusual
Grower’s Choice
Part Shade
Good Cut Flower
Thanks to Averater for this image.

Tradescantia ‘Sweet Kate’

Spiderwort

Chartreuse grass-like foliage with deep royal purple blooms; one of my fav colour combos; blooms May to July in full sun to part shade; tolerates damp, boggy soil well; clumps slowly; Grower’s Choice

Pollinator Friendly
Deer Resistant
Grower’s Choice
Part Shade

Tricyrtis hirta

Toad Lily

Small orchid-like blooms in late Aug/Sept; Blooms are white with lots of purple freckles. Deer resistant, low maintenance, loves deep shade but will also grow in part shade; naturalizes slowly

Deer Resistant
Grower’s Choice
Part Shade
Thanks to Miyazaki for this image.

Tricyrtis hirta ‘Miyazaki’

Toad Lily

Small orchid-like blooms in late Aug/Sept; Prolific bloomer compared to common Toad Lily, with a slightly shorter growth habit; Blooms are white with lots of tiny purple freckles. Deer resistant, low maintenance, loves deep shade but will also grow in part shade; naturalizes slowly; Grower’s Choice cultivar

Deer Resistant
Grower’s Choice
Part Shade
Thanks to Rolf Engstrand for this image.

Trillium erectum

Wake Robin or Bethroot

Deep chocolate to reddish-purple blooms; Native to North America; Part to full shade, spreads gradually; Grower’s Choice

Deer Resistant
Rare/Unusual
Shade Tolerant
Grower’s Choice
Part Shade
Thanks to Mike Ireland for this image.

Trillium grandiflorum

Great White Trillium

Native to the Pacific Northwest; known as Snow Trillium; produces showy blooms that slowly turn from white to pink; Part to full shade, spreads gradually; Grower’s Choice

Deer Resistant
Rare/Unusual
Shade Tolerant
Grower’s Choice
Part Shade
Thanks to Chris Upton for this image.

Trillium luteum

Yellow Wakerobin

Late bloomer with yellow blooms with a fragrance similar to lemon oil; Mottled leaves; Native to North America; Part to full shade, spreads gradually; Grower’s Choice

Deer Resistant
Rare/Unusual
Shade Tolerant
Grower’s Choice
Part Shade
Thanks to Eric Hunt for this image.

Trillium recurvatum

Prairie Trillium

Graceful maroon blooms; transplants easily and forms new stems & offshoots quickly; Native to North America; Part to full shade, spreads gradually; Grower’s Choice

Deer Resistant
Rare/Unusual
Shade Tolerant
Grower’s Choice
Part Shade

Viola odorata rosea

Pink Fragrant Violet

Lovely fragrant spring-blooming woodlander; if it’s happy, it’ll rebloom in fall; naturalizes slowly by clumping; prefers woodland and shaded areas; rare variety of the common violet; Grower’s Choice

Pollinator Friendly
Deer Resistant
Rare/Unusual
Grower’s Choice
Part Shade
Fragrant