Appetites of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) include ornamental landscape plants. Choosing native deer-resistant shrubs equals landscape success.

Overview

Is it possible for landscape gardeners in eastern North America to successfully plant and grow shrubs and small trees despite heavy populations of Virginia white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)? The answer is definitely yes.

Positive Outcomes

Deer-resistant ornamental trees and shrubs are relatively easy to find. The majority of them are also native to eastern North America (N.A.). A landscape benefit is that deer-resistant native shrubs are also eminently suitable in natural appearing and easy-to-maintain landscapes.

Negative Aspects

The downside of choosing deer-resistant native shrubs for landscapes is that their beauty is usually subtle when compared to recent Asian and European ornamental shrub introductions. However, horticulturists are hard at work to identify and propagate naturally occurring varieties of native shrubs that show unusual characteristics and landscape promise.

Caution

No plant is deer-proof! Large deer populations will browse and even destroy resistant plantings when weather is severe or food sources are meager.

Lists of native deer-resistant ornamental shrubs abound. Plant suggestions below result from the author's experiences and staff at Greenbrier Nurseries , Roanoke, VA.

1 - Clethra: Large cultivars such as the pink-flowered selections make fine screens and hedges, and are also excellent in borders; small cultivars like 'Hummingbird' useful for ground covers.

• Clethra alnifolia: Summersweet clethra, Summersweet, Sweet pepperbush

Introduced - 1731; Native - ME to FL to coastal TX; Zones 4 to 9.

• Clethra acuminata: Cinnamon clethra, White alder

Introduced - 1806; Native – WV (mountains) and VA to ME and to GA and AL; Zones 5 to 8, grows best in zones 6 to 7

2 - Hydrangea: Useful as specimen plantings, excellent in shrub borders, massed in hedges or naturalized.

• Hydrangea quercifolia: Oakleaf hydrangea, Goosefoot hydrangea

Introduced - 1803; Native - GA, FL to AL and MS; Zones 5 to 9 (may be some winter injury in zone 5).

3 - Hypericum: Nice looking plant in shrub borders or mass plantings; outstanding for golden-colored flowers in mid-summer.

• Hypericum prolificum: Shrubby St. Johnswort

Introduced - 1750; Native - NJ to GA to IA; Zones 4 to 8.

• Hypericum frondosum: Shrubby St. Johnswort

Introduced - 1747; Native - SC and TN to GA and TX; Zones 5 – 8.

4 - Itea virginica: Tassel-white, Virginia sweetspire

Excellent wetland plant, but shows drought tolerance; makes an unusual specimen, shrub border plant or container plant; fragrant flowers appear in June and July; excellent fall leaf color in some cultivars such as 'Henry's Garnet.'

Introduced - 1744; Native – N.J. pine barrens to FL, west to MO, LA and east TX; Zones 5 (possibly 4) to 9.

5 - Leucothoe: Facer plant (low, small and bushy plants situated at the bases and towards the front of tall plants) for rhododendrons and azaleas, massed in shrub borders or foundation plantings; and ground cover on slopes. L. axillaris smaller in all parts than L. fontanesiana - good for small garden landscapes.

• Leucothoe axillaris: Coast leucothoe, Coastal doghobble

Introduced - 1765; Native – VA to FL and MS (mostly lowlands); Zones 5 to 8.

• Leucothoe fontanesiana: Drooping leucothoe, Highland doghobble

Introduced - 1793; Native – VA to GA and TN (mostly mountains); Zones 5 to 8.

6 - Myrica gale: Sweetgale

Good foliage color, texture and fragrance; excellent for cold and wet spots.

Introduced - 1750; Native – upper latitudes of N.A.; Zones 1 to 8.

7 - Pieris floribunda: Mountain pieris, Fetter bush

Suitable for massed plantings and shrub rows; evergreen leaves and upright clusters of fragrant, white flowers in April and May; 'Brouwer's Beauty,' hybrid cultivar between P. floribunda and P. japonica, is dense and compact, useful for foundation plantings.

Introduced - 1800; Native – VA to GA; Zones 4 to 6.

8 - Viburnum: specimen or container plant, massed or hedgerow plantings, and shrub borders to entice birds and other wildlife - a Viburnum for every landscape use.

• Viburnum acerifolium: Maple-leaf arrow-wood, Maple-leaf Viburnum, Mapleleaf Viburnum

Introduced - 1736; Native – NB (Canada) to MN, south to SC and GA; Zones 4 to 8.

• Viburnum dentatum: Arrow-wood, Arrowwood

Introduced - 1736; Native - NB (Canada) to MN, south to SC and GA; Zones (2)3 to 8.

• Viburnum lantanoides (formerly V. alnifolium): Hobblebush

Introduced - 1820; Native – NB (Canada) and MI to NC (mountains); Zones 3 to 5(6).

• Viburnum nudum: Possumhaw, Smooth Witherod

Introduced - 1731; Native - Ct; Long Island, NY, to FL, west to KY and LA; Zones 5 to 9.

• Viburnum prunifolium: Blackhaw, Smooth blackhaw

Introduced - 1727; Native – CT to FL, west to MI and TX; Zones 3 to 9.

• Viburnum rufidulum: Rusty blackhaw viburnum, Southern blackhaw

Introduced - 1883; Native – VA to FL, west to IL and TX; Zones 5 to 9.

More information

Deer-resistant Landscape Trees: Native North American Small Ornamental Trees of Landscape Importance.

© Text and photograph (except where noted) by Georgene A. Bramlage. 2008. Reproduction without permission prohibited.