Outside Flowers That Animals Won't Eat
Animals such as deer, rabbits and rodents can be a nuisance in your garden, feeding on your outside plants. Plants with spiny or prickly stems and flowers that are highly aromatic generally deter animals from feasting on them. However, no flower is 100-percent animal-proof, and when food sources are scarce, animals may feed on plants they once stayed away from.
Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii) is resistant to deer and grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 8. This 3- to 6-foot-tall shrub produces branches with a sharp spine at each node, creating an unwelcoming area for animals to feed. It does, however, produce ornamental berries that birds like to nibble on. Rose-of-Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) is another shrub that is resistant to deer. It also produces large, tropical blooms in a wide array of colors and grows in USDA zones 5 through 8. For a strawberry fragrance, consider planting the deer-resistant Carolina allspice (Calycanthus floridus), which grows to about 10 feet tall in USDA zones 5 through 9. In late summer, this flowering shrub produces maroon-brown blooms that smell like strawberries. Once the flowers are spent, pear-shaped fruit appear, attracting birds to the area.
Camellias are an evergreen plant producing large, elegant blooms. Several camellia cultivars are resistant to deer and rarely damaged by wildlife. “Alba Plena” (Camellia japonica “Alba Plena”) and “Colonel Firey” (Camellia japonica “Colonel Firey”) are two such deer-resistant camellia cultivars, both growing in USDA zones 8 through 10 in filtered sunlight. “Alba Plena” has pure white, double blooms, and “Colonel Firey” produces deep, vibrant red flowers. “Blue Cushion” dwarf English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia “Blue Cushion”) is a rabbit- and deer-resistant evergreen that produces highly fragrant bluish blooms in summer. It grows in USDA zones 4 through 9 to heights of about 16 inches. “Blue Cushion” is drought-tolerant, attracts butterflies and can be cut for use in floral arrangements.
Daffodils (Narcissus) are a perennial flower grown from a bulb in USDA zones 4 through 8. They are commonly associated with Easter, blooming in March and April, and are resistant to deer and rabbits. They grow in full sun to partial shade and vary in height, depending on the species, but generally grow between 6 inches and 3 feet tall. Day lily (Hemerocallis) is a large genus of flowering bulbs growing in full sun. Depending on the species, day lilies grow in USDA zones 3 through 10 and are resistant to rabbits. Their large, showy blooms can be cut from the plant and placed in a vase.
Several flowering herbs have a pungent aroma that most animals, such as rabbits and deer, tend to stay away from. Catmint, sage and basil are a few such herbs that wildlife typically won't consume. Catmint (Nepeta) grows in USDA zones 3 through 10, producing butterfly- and hummingbird-attracting blooms. Sage (Salvia) has blue flowers in USDA zones 4 through 8; basil (Ocimum basilicum) grows in full sun in USDA zones 9 through 11 and attracts butterflies. Rosemary, dill and oregano are a few more culinary herbs that wildlife generally won’t eat. These flowering herbs can be grown as an annual where not hardy.
- NC Cooperative Extension: Deer Resistant Plants
- University of Illinois Extension: Plants Not Favored by Deer and Rabbits
- Missouri Botanical Garden: Berberis Thunbergii
- Missouri Botanical Garden: Hibiscus Syriacus
- Monrovia: Carolina Allspice
- Monrovia: Alba Plena Camellia
- Monrovia: Colonel Firey Camellia
- Heritage Perennials: Lavandula Angustifolia Blue Cushion
- Missouri Botanical Garden: Narcissus
- Fine Gardening: Genus Hemerocallis (Day Lily)
Amanda Flanigan began writing professionally in 2007. Flanigan has written for various publications, including WV Living and American Craft Council, and has published several eBooks on craft and garden-related subjects. Flanigan completed two writing courses at Pierpont Community and Technical College.