By Nancy Bremner
The challenge of gardening in an area of Manitoba well populated by deer led to a search for deer-resistant* garden plants. The following plant list is a result of years of experimenting by the author.
Deer-Resistant* Plants:
Achillea spp. yarrow - all kinds
Aconitum napellus common monkshood
Actaea rubra red baneberry
Agastache foeniculum giant hyssop
Alchemilla mollis lady's mantle
Alyssum maritimum alyssum
Anaphalis margaritacea pearly everlasting
Antennaria dioica pussy toes
Antennaria pulcherimma showy pussy toes
Anthemis tinctoria golden marguerite
Antirrhinum majus snap dragons
Armeria maritima sea or common thrift
Artemisia absinthium "Lambrook Silver" wormwood
Artemisia schmidtrana silver mound
Artemisia stelleranna beach wormwood
Aruncus dioicus goatsbeard
Astilbe tacquetii superba astilbe
Calendula officinalis calendula
Caltha palustris marsh marigold
Campunula rotundifolia harebells
Cerastium tomentosum snow-in-summer
Chrysanthemum coccineum pyrethrum
Chrysanthemum superbum shasta daisy
Corydalis lutea yellow corydalis
Dianthus caryophyllaccae deltoides pink family
Echinacea spp. coneflower
Erigeron philadelphicus Philadelphia fleabane
Eryngium planum sea holly
Euphorbia epithymoides cushion spurge
Euphorbia polychroma euphorbia
Fragaria virginiana wild strawberry
Gaillardia grandiflora blanketflower
Galium boreale northern bedstraw
Goniolimon tataricum Tatarian statice
Helichrysum spp. everlastings
Hemerocallis spp. daylily
Iridaceae spp. iris
Lavandula spp. lavender
Limonium sinuata statice
Lobelia tenuior, erinus lobelia
Lychnis coronaria rose campion
Lysimachia nummularia creeping jenny, moneywort
Matteuccia struthiopteris ostrich fern
Monarda didyma bee balm
Narcissus spp. daffodils
Nasturtium nasturtium
Nepeta mussinii catmint
Oenothera spp. primrose
Paeonia spp. peony
Papaver nudicaule Icelandic poppy
Papaver orientale Oriental poppy
Papaver spp. all annual poppies
Perovskia atriplicifollia Russian sage
Petalostemon candidum white prairie clover
Petalostemon purpureum purple prairie clover
Portulaca grandiflora portulaca
Potentilla tridentate three-toothed cinquefoil
Primula spp. English primrose
Pulmonaria Mrs. Moon, Bethleham sage
Salvia patens salvia
Sedum spp. stonecrop
Senecio cineraria dusty miller
Stachys byzantians lamb's ear
Tagetes signata marigold gem series
Tanacetum vulgare var. crispum Tansy
Thalictium rochebrunianum meadowrue
Thermopsis rhombiflora golden-bean
Thymus serpyllum mother-of-thyme
Veronica spicata speedwell
Veronica virginicia culver's root
Deer-Resistant* Native and Ornamental Grasses:
Agrostis scabra hair grass
Andropogon gerardi big bluestem
Bouteloua gracilis blue grama grass
Festuca glauca blue fescue
Helictotrichon sempervirens blue oat grass
Hierochloe odorata sweet grass
Koeleria cristata June grass
Molina caerulea variegata moor grass
Schizachyrium scoparium little bluestem
Sisyrinchium montanum common blue-eyed grass
Occasionally Nibbled Plant:
Astilbe tacquetii superba astilbe
Aquilegia canadensis common columbine
Caltha palustris marsh marigold
Daffodils daffodils
Dicentra spp. bleeding heart
Echinacea coneflower
Eryngium planum sea holly
Eupatorium purpureum joe Pye weed
Gaillardia grandiflora blanket flower
Liatris spicata gay feather
Linum perenne perennial flax
Lychnis chalcedonia Maltese cross
Lychnis coronaria oculata rose blush
Monarda didyma bee balm
Osmorrhiza longistylis sweet cicely
Veronica spicata speedwell
Viola spp. violet
*Please note that the attribute "deer-resistant" only indicates those plants that are least likely to be damaged by deer. Selection of food plants by deer can vary greatly between different regions and at various times of year. Plants unappealing to deer in one season may be more tempting during times of food scarcity.
Nancy Bremner
Nancy has been enthralled with nature since she was a young girl. She was a Manitoba Parks Interpreter for 10 years, which allowed her to teach people about the natural and cultural heritage of Manitoba. Her interest in the ornamental and medicinal properties of plants grew while adding to her program skills as a Park Interpreter.
Pinawa is situated along the historic Winnipeg River in a boreal mixed woods area surrounded by Precambrian rock. Upon moving to Pinawa in 1994, being impressed with the natural beauty of the landscape, Nancy and her husband opted out of having any fences to allow the deer, wolves, foxes, coyotes, bear, raccoons and skunks to wonder through their yard. It soon became evident that an experimental approach was needed to gardening as many plants deemed deer proof were in fact deer fodder. Nancy took up the challenge of ornamental flower gardening and continues to try new types of seeds every year.
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