The majority of us have a go-to restaurant that we love because we know we’ll receive a terrific meal and we like the ambience. Deer have good memories and are creatures of habit, just like humans. They will return time and time again to a location where they have had a satisfying meal and feel comfortable eating. Read on to find out more about deer-resistant plants in zone 8 if you live there and want to stop your landscape from turning into the neighborhood deer’s favorite eatery.

Deer Resistant Plants for Zone 8

Deer resistant plants for Zone 8 are varieties of plants that deer will most likely not bother and that also do well in Zone 8. These plants generally have a flavor, texture, or smell that turn deer off. However, there aren’t any plants that can withstand deer entirely. Having said that, there are certain plants that deer rarely eat and others that they love to eat. However, in times of scarcity, deer may resort to eating anything they can find, regardless of whether it’s something they especially enjoy.

Because they need more food and nutrients during the spring and early summer, pregnant and nursing deer may consume foods that they avoid at other times of the year. But generally speaking, deer would rather eat in places where they can easily access and feel comfortable than in open spaces where they can feel vulnerable.

These locations are frequently close to the borders of forests, giving them the option to flee if they feel threatened. Deer also prefer to graze close to streams. The leaves of plants near ponds and streams are typically more moist than those farther away.

Are There Plants Deer Hate in Zone 8?

Although there are a variety of deer repellents available that you may buy and use to keep deer out of zone 8 gardens, these solutions require frequent reapplication, and if deer are really hungry, they might even put up with the disagreeable taste or smell.

It may be more cost-effective to plant deer resistant plants in zone 8 rather than investing in repellents. Although there are certain plants in zone 8 that deer will not eat, there are also some that they would rather not. They dislike plants that smell strongly. Additionally, they usually stay away from plants with prickly, hairy, or dense stems or foliage. Deer might be discouraged by planting these plants close to or around their preferred spots. A list of deer resistant plants for zone 8 is provided below.

Deer Resistant Annuals for Zone 8

FLOSS FLOWER

Clusters of lavender-blue flowers and rough-textured foliage keep deer at bay. Available in shades of blue, pink, purple, and white. For a floss flower that doesn’t require deadheading and is better suited for hot climates, try Artist® Blue (pictured).

SIGNET MARIGOLD

All varieties of marigolds are a turnoff for deer because of their strong, pungent scent. However, signet marigolds (pictured) have a lighter citrusy smell and flavor, making them popular for culinary use.

VERBENA

Verbenas bloom from spring until frost if trimmed back in midsummer. The small flower clusters come in a wide range of colors, including white, pink, blue, lavender, purple, dark red, yellow and bicolor.

SNAPDRAGON

Dramatic spikes of flowers make snapdragons a stunning addition to a deer-resistant garden. Snapdragons bloom most profusely in the cooler weather of spring and fall, and come in a variety of cultivars.

DEER RESISTANT SHRUBS

BOXWOOD

Among the most versatile evergreens for a deer-resistant garden. They come in numerous shapes and sizes and take well to pruning. Deer seem to shun them because of their strong scent.

BUTTERFLY BUSH

Attract bees and butterflies while you fend off deer. Flower colors are typically deep purple, pink, or white, although some hybrids have orange and gold blooms. For smaller gardens, try Pugster.

SPIREA

It’s a bit of a mystery why deer avoid spirea. A wide array of sizes are available. An interesting choice is Double Play® Candy Corn® (pictured), with foliage that emerges bright red and matures to yellow.

JUNIPER

Junipers have many different uses: groundcovers, accent plants, topiaries, and privacy screens. They repel deer because of the volatile oils in their needles, they also are drought tolerant and have few pest problems.

DEER-RESISTANT PERENNIALS

RUSSIAN SAGE

The finely-cut silvery foliage makes it an eye-catching filler plant in a sunny perennial garden. Tiny flowers bloom on tall stalks, producing lovely plumes of color. The flowers will often last well into October.

BEE BALM

One of the best plants for attracting and supporting pollinators; however, deer tend to leave it alone because of its pungent fragrance.

FRINGED BLEEDING HEART

One of the few native woodland plants that deer don’t go for. Although a bit less showy than the common bleeding heart, the heart-shaped flowers range in color from white to various shades of pink.

PEONY

Prized for their large, fragrant blooms, peonies have many attributes beyond their breathtaking beauty. They are tough, reliable, long-lived, and virtually pest-proof-including deer.

DUSTY MILLER

Grown primarily for its attractive silvery-gray foliage, dusty miller has a felt-like coating that deer find unappetizing.

LAMB’S EAR

The grey-green foliage has a velvety soft, wooly texture which deer don’t like. This easy-care plant blooms in summer with spikes of pink to purple flowers.

 

Deer Resistant Ground Cover Suggestions

JAPANESE PACHYSANDRA

Primarily grown for its glossy green foliage, which spreads quickly; an added attraction are spikes of tiny white blooms. ‘Variegata’ (pictured) has leaves with creamy white edges.

JAPANESE PAINTED FERN

Deer ignore most ferns, including this low-growing variety with silver-gray fronds painted with strokes of green and mauve. Like other ferns, it spreads freely by creeping rhizomes, but not aggressively.

LILY OF THE VALLEY

Dainty bell-shaped flowers perfume the air with a heavenly fragrance in early spring. Bright red berries form after flowering, and the lance-shaped leaves last all summer, serving as an attractive groundcover.

JAPANESE SEDGE

This clump-forming grasslike plant makes an excellent groundcover for moist, shady areas. Cultivars with variegated green and white foliage are particularly stunning, providing a luminous glow.

Deer Resistant Perrenials

ASTILBE (Astilbe spp.)

Zones: 3-9

Known as false spirea, the showy flower plumes appear in summer, brightening up moist woodlands and shady borders. The smell, texture, and bitter taste of astilbe flowers are distasteful to deer.

BEE BALM (Monarda spp.)

Zones: 3-9

Bee balm produces whorls of tubular flowers that are highly attractive to bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Related to mint, this resilient herbaceous perennial has a pungent smell and taste that deer dislike

BLACK-EYED SUSAN (Rudbeckia spp.)

Zones: 3-10

This prairie native is a short-lived perennial, biennial, or annual with cheerful daisy-like flowers in warm tones of orange, yellow, gold, and red. Deer find the rough texture of the fuzzy stems and leaves to be unappealing.

BLEEDING HEART (Lamrocapnos spectabilis syn. Dicentra spectabilis)

Zones: 3-9

This beloved springtime ephemeral is characterized by charming heart-shaped blooms that occur above the delicate ferny foliage. Though bleeding heart is considered deer-resistant, this can vary depending on whether more preferable food sources are available.

BLUE FESCUE (Festuca glauca)

Zones: 4-8

This compact ornamental grass is grown for the wispy silvery-blue foliage that adds texture and color to beds, borders, and mass plantings. Fescue is not a preferred plant of deer, possibly due to its low nutritional value, though plants may be more susceptible to deer browse if other food is scarce.

CATMINT (Nepeta spp.)

Zones: 3-9

An easy-care perennial, catmint blooms for months with clusters of vivid blue flowers, though some varieties produce pink or white flowers. This mint relative is shunned by deer for its pungent scent and taste.

COLUMBINE (Aquilegia spp.)

Zones: 3-9

A favorite springtime woodland perennial, columbine is characterized by open-faced flowers with long upwards or back-facing spurs. Deer will avoid eating columbine plants due to their toxic compounds.

CONEFLOWER (Echinacea spp.)

Zones: 3-9

Native to North American prairies, Echinacea is known for its attractive flowers with cone-shaped centers. Deer will seldom bother this medicinal pollinator plant due to its aroma and spiny cone.

FALSE INDIGO (Baptisia spp.)

Zones: 3-9

False indigo produces towering spires of pea-like flowers in spring, with a shrubby habit and lobed foliage that remains attractive through fall. Deer avoid false indigo due to its strong scent and bitter taste. Read more about growing false indigo.

FOAMFLOWER (Tiarella spp.)

Zones: 3-9

This woodland perennial produces frothy white or pink flowers for in spring with attractive patterned foliage that stays evergreen in milder climates. Deer will leave foamflower alone due to the astringent properties of the foliage.

HELLEBORE (Helleborus spp.)

Zones: 4-9

Hellebore is one of the best deer-resistant perennial flowers for the winter garden, with cup-shaped flowers that occur in a wide range of coloring and patterns. The leathery toothed foliage is distasteful to deer.

LADY’S MANTLE (Alchemilla mollis)

Zones: 3-9

Tolerant of a wide range of growing conditions, lady’s mantle is a cottage garden favorite grown for the attractive scallop-edged leaves and foamy clusters of soft yellow flowers. Deer are likely deterred by the fuzzy texture of the foliage.

LAMB’S EAR (Stachys byzantina)

Zones: 4-9

Native to the Mediterranean region, this tough, drought-tolerant perennial has velvety silver leaves that resemble lamb’s ears. Deer find the soft, wooly texture of the foliage to be distasteful.

LAVENDER (Lavandula spp.)

Zones: 5-9

This popular herb is grown for its attractive flower spikes, aromatic foliage, and wide range of culinary, medicinal and ornamental uses. Deer are deterred by lavender’s pungent scent and taste.

LEOPARD PLANT (Ligularia spp.)

Zones: 3-9

Large rounded or palmate foliage is topped by tall yellow flower spikes in summer. This moisture lover can be grown in a shade garden or near a pond or stream. Leopard plant is generally deer resistant unless other food sources are scarce.

LUNGWORT (Pulmonaria spp.)

Zones: 3-9

One of the earliest perennials to bloom, lungwort is a woodland perennial with colorful bell-shaped flowers that emerge along with the patterned or spotted green foliage. Deer are discouraged by the fine hairy texture of the leaves that can irritate their mouth and digestive tract.

MILKWEED (Asclepias spp.)

Zones: 3-9

Milkweed is a prairie native that supports a wide range of pollinating insects. Clusters of tiny star-shaped flowers are followed by large showy seed pods. The sticky milky sap in the stems and leaves is distasteful and mildly toxic to deer. Read more about growing milkweed.

ORIENTAL POPPY (Papaver orientale)

Zones: 3-8

Flamboyant papery blooms occur above spiky thistle-like foliage, with flower colors of orange, red, pink, apricot, white, and purple. Deer will shun oriental poppy due to its toxicity.

PEONY (Paeonia spp.)

Zones: 2-8

A staple of spring borders, peony is a perennial flower revered for the showy blooms in a wide range of colors and forms. Deer dislike the strong fragrance of the blooms and the taste of the sap in the stems.

PINKS (Dianthus spp.)

Zones: 3-9

This reliable long-blooming perennial is especially popular for cottage-style gardens. Frilly clove-scented flowers occur in almost every color, from white to nearly black. Pinks are seldom bothered by deer due to the fragrance, bitter taste, and toxicity, which can cause digestive issues.

RED HOT POKER (Kniphofia spp.)

Zones: 5-9

Vertical flower spikes in bright hues of red, orange, yellow, chartreuse, or cream add drama and tropical flair to the summer border. Deer will avoid red hot poker plant due to the sharp edges of the grass-like foliage.

RUSSIAN SAGE (Perovskia atriplicifolia)

Zones: 4-9

Russian sage is an undemanding herbaceous perennial with silvery foliage and prolific spikes of dreamy lavender-blue flowers. Deer dislike the pungent sage-like scent of the foliage.

SALVIA (Salvia spp.)

Zones: 4-12, depending on the variety

This carefree heat-loving perennial comes in a wide range of sizes, flower colors, and shapes. A member of the mint family, salvia is avoided by deer due to the pungent foliage.

SIBERIAN BUGLOSS (Brunnera spp.)

Zones: 3-8

This delightful spring bloomer is characterized by clusters of tiny blue flowers that resemble forget-me-nots and heart-shaped foliage. Deer dislike Siberian bugloss because of the rough, hairy texture of the leaves.

SPEEDWELL (Veronica spp.)

Zones: 3-9, depending on variety

Speedwell is a versatile ground cover or upright perennial with flower clusters or tall spires in a range of colors. Deer are deterred by the foliage texture and spiky flowers.

SEDUM (Sedum spp.)

Zones: 3-9

Sedum is a succulent perennial that adds late season color, texture, and structure to beds, borders, and containers. Deer are discouraged by the thick, fleshy leaves and bitter taste.

SWITCH GRASS (Panicum virgatum)

Zones: 4-8

This native warm-season ornamental grass is grown for the cloud-like flower plumes and colored foliage that add texture and movement to beds and borders. Deer dislike switch grass because of the sharp edges of the blade-like leaves.

TICKSEED (Coreopsis spp.)

Zones: 3-9

Known as tickseed, the cheerful disc-shaped flowers of this native plant come in an array of colors and patterns. While coreopsis is generally deer resistant, plants may be susceptible to some deer browse if other food sources are scarce.

YARROW (Achillea spp.)

Zones: 3-11

Yarrow is a resilient summer-blooming perennial characterized by ferny foliage and flat-topped clusters of flowers that are attractive to insect pollinators. The pungent scent of the leaves is disliked by deer.

Discover Deer-Resistant Plants for Zone 8

Don’t wait another moment to bring the comfort of deer-resistant plants for Zone 8 into your life. Call us at 704-487-9861 or contact us through our site to to place a wholesale order, or stop by the nursery and let us help you select the perfect deer-resistant plants to turn your garden into a beautiful, low-maintenance garden. We are dedicated to providing you with exceptional quality, personalized service, and the opportunity to enjoy beautiful, low-maintenance plants. Learn more about Deer Resistant plants for Zone 8 from The NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.