Evergreen Trees

• Deer don't usually find evergreen trees with tough, pointed or spiny foliage palatable. These include juniper (Juniperus chinensis), a slow-growing tree. Junipers grow up to 40 feet tall with a 15-foot spread. This drought-tolerant plant prefers full sun and well-drained soil. Deer also tend to avoid the needle-like foliage on pine trees (Pinus spp.). Especially deer-resistant species include pitch pine, red pine and Swiss stone pine.
  
  

Deciduous Trees

• Deer enjoy browsing on the tender new growth and twigs so often found on deciduous trees. Protect young trees with fencing or cages until they're well-established. Deer-resistant species include the honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos). This tree has pointy thorns and produces fragrant flowers, two characteristics that deer avoid. This 75-foot-tall tree thrives in full sun and tolerates a range of soils. Birch (Betula spp.) trees also tend to deter deer. Especially repellent species include Chinese paper birch, gray birch and river birch.
  
  

Evergreen Shrubs

• Deer-resistant evergreen shrubs include wintergreen barberry (Berberis julianae). This spiny-foliaged shrub grows up to 6 feet tall with an 8-foot spread. A hardy shrub, the wintergreen barberry tolerates drought and thrives in sun to partial shade and a variety of soils. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) also deters deer with its pointed foliage and has the added deterrent of strong scent. Rosemary grows up to 4 feet tall with a similar spread and prefers well-drained soil.
  
  

Deciduous Shrubs

• Deer do not like to eat the highly fragrant lilac (Syringa vulgaris). This deciduous shrub produces profuse spikes of scented purple to white blossoms in spring. Lilacs grow to 15 feet tall and tolerate a range of soils, including heavy soil, and sun to partial shade. The sweet fern (Comptonia peregrine) also repels deer. A slow-growing shrub, the sweet fern has fragrant foliage and grows between 2 and 4 feet tall.
  
  

Perennials

• Rarely-damaged perennials include astilbe (Astilbe spp.). This perennial is hardy to zone 4 and prefers moist soil. Astilbe grow up to 4 feet tall and produce red, pink and white flowers. Red valerian (Centranthus rubber) offers a measure of deer resistance. This drought-tolerant flower grows to 3 feet tall. Red valerian produces red, pink and white blossoms in spring. This perennial thrives in alkaline and well-drained soils.