Deer-ly Departed: Best Plants to Deter Deer

If you live in a nice country area, or you like to grow nice plants and trees, one of the major issues you might face is deer eating your garden or foliage. One option is to use a fence to keep deer out of specific areas on your property. However, deer are resilient, and can often jump over fences to find their way to take a bite out of your plants nonetheless.

At Cold Stream Farm, we have another idea for you. There are certain plants and trees that are resistant to deer, either because they look poisonous and they keep deer away, or they look nice but just don’t taste good. Here are three of the nicest looking and deer-resistant plants to consider growing on your land.

Cypress

Cypress trees are deer resistant for a few different reasons. First, the trees tend to grow well in wet and damp conditions, including swampy areas. This means they are adaptable to extra wet environments where deer might naturally frequent for water. They also are very durable and feature hard, globe-shaped cones which are more commonly passed over by deer than eaten. These resilient trees are a great choice to take up space at your property while keeping deer at bay.

Lilac

Lilac plants are also rated as deer resistant by Rutgers. The flowers of the lilac are beautiful and their smell is well loved by most humans, but to deer, they’re a major turn off. If you want to keep deer from snacking on your plants – and add a beautiful new feature to your property – choosing a variety of lilac is the perfect decision.

Birch

Birch trees are another option that resists deer. Featuring an attractive colored bark and adapted to grow and thrive in direct sunlight in both wet and dry conditions, deer tend to leave trees of the species alone, as Natural Lands Trust notes. We stock four different types of birch, meaning whether you’re looking for a single tree to center in your yard or a line of saplings to grow into a row lining your property, you can find it all at Cold Stream Farm.

Cold Stream Farm has a full range of different plants available, with many options that can help you keep deer away or draw in specific other species of animal. Check out our FAQ to read more on suggested plants for different wildlife, or give us a call at 231-464-5809 to learn more.