Deer browse (feed) on young twigs, new buds, shoots, and succulent plants in flower beds and vegetable gardens in spring, early summer, late fall and winter. They also rub their antlers on young trees in late summer and fall causing damage to the bark and often death of the tree. Here is a list of plants not favored for browsing by deer according to the Cooperative Extension Service, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign:

Trees 

 Shrubs

Hardy Perennials

Ash (Fraxinus)  

Barberry (Berberis)

Anemone (Anemone)

Beech (Fagus) 

Boxwood (Buxus)

Artemisia (Artemisia lactiflora)

Birch (Betula) 

Forsythia (Forsythia)

Astilbe (Astilbe)

Catalpa (Catalpa) 

Juniper (Juniperus)

Bee balm (Monarda)

Cedar (Juniperus) 

Kerria  Jap. rose (Kerria)

Bergenia (Bergenia)

Cypress (Taxodium)  

Lilac (Syringa)

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)

Dawn redwood (Metasequoia) 

Oregon-grape (Mahonia)

Butterfly weed (Asclepias) 

Ginkgo (Ginkgo) 

Smoke bush (Cotinus)

Columbine (Aquilegia)

Hemlock (Tsuga)

Spicebush (Lindera)

Coreopsis (Coreopsis) 

Locust, black (Robinia) 

Spirea (Spiraea)

Crane’s bill (Geranium)

Locust, honey (Gleditsia)

Sweet shrub (Calycanthus)

Daisy (Chrysanthemum)

Mimosa (Albizia) 

Witch-hazel (Hamamelis)

Foam flower (Tiarella)

Redbud (Cercis) 

Groundcovers

Goldenrod (Solidago) 

Sassafras (Sassafras) 

Ajuga (Ajuga)

Hellebore (Helleborus)

Smoketree (Cotinus)

Bergenia (Bergenia)

Hibiscus (Hibiscus) 

Sweet gum (Liquidambar)

Catmint (Nepeta)

Iris (Iris) 

Spruce (Picea) 

Epimedium (Epimedium)

Jacob’s ladder (Polemonium)

Sycamore (Platanus)

Ferns (various species)

Loosestrife (Lythrum)

Tree lilac (Syringa reticulata)

Ginger (Asarum)

Peony (Paeonia)

Tuliptree (Liriodendron)

Juniper (Juniperus)

Phlox (Phlox)

Perennial Vines 

Lady’s mantle (Alchemilla)

Pinks (Dianthus)

Akebia (Akebia) 

Lamium (Lamium)

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea)

Bittersweet (Celastrus)

Lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria)

Russian sage (Perovskia)

Clematis (Clematis) 

Lily turf (Liriope spicata)

Salvia (Salvia)

Grape (Vitus) 

Lungwort (Pulmonaria)

Sedum (Sedum)

Honeysuckle (Lonicera)

Pachysandra (Pachysandra)

Snakeroot (Eupatorium)

Ivy, Boston (Parthenocissus)

Potentilla (Potentilla)

Soapwort (Saponaria)

Silver lace vine(Polygonum)

Sedum (Sedum)

Veronica (Veronica)

Trumpet creeper(Campsis)

Snow-in-summer (Cerastium)

Yarrow (Achillea)

Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus)

Sweet woodruff (Asperula)

Hardy Bulbs

Wisteria (Wisteria)

Vinca (Vinca)

Allium (Allium)

Herbs

Violet (Viola)

Chionodoxa

Angelica (Angelica)

Annuals & Biennials

Colchicum - Autumn crocus

Basil (Ocimum)

African daisy

Crown imperial(Fritillaria)

Borage (Borago)

Ageratum (Ageratum)

Crocus (Crocus) 

Burnet (Sanguisorba)

Alyssum (Lobularia)

Daffodil (Narcissus)

Catmint (Nepeta)

Campanula (Campanula)

Eranthis (Eranthis) 

Chamomile (Matricaria)

Forget-me-not (Myosotis)

Grape hyacinth(Muscari) 

Chives (Allium)

Four o-clock (Mirabilis)

Narcissus (Narcissus) 

Comfrey (Symphytum)

Foxglove (Digitalis)

Scilla (Scilla) 

Dill (Anethum)

Heliotrope (Heliotropium)

Snowdrop (Galanthus) 

Fennel (Foeniculum)

Lobelia (Lobelia)

Snowflake (Leucojum) 

Feverfew (Chrysanthemum)

Marigold (Tagetes)

 

Germander (Teucrium)

Morning glory (Ipomoea)

 

Horehound (Marrubium)

Moonflower (Ipomoea)

 

Hyssop (Hyssopus)

Nasturtium (Tropaeolum)

 

Lavender (Lavendula)

Petunia (Petunia)

 

Lemon balm (Melissa)

Poppy (Papaver)

 

Lovage (Levisticum)

Salvia (Salvia)

 

Mint (Mentha)

Snapdragon (Antirrhinum)

 

Oregano (Origanum)

Sunflower (Helianthus) 

 

Parsley (Petroselinum)

Sweet William (Dianthus)

 

Perilla (Perilla)

Mex. Sunflower (Tithonia)

 

Rosemary (Rosmarinus)

 

 

Rue (Ruta)

 

 

Sage (Salvia)

 

 

Santolina (Santolina)

 

 

Savory (Satureja)

 

 

Tansy (Tanacetum)

 

 

Thyme (Thymus)

 

 

Deer Resistant Plants

Deer damage to plants can be reduced by planting trees, shrubs, groundcovers, perennials, annuals, vines, and bulbs that are not favored by deer.