13 Shrubs That Deer Will Not Eat

If deer wander through your yard like it’s their personal salad bar, it’s time to outsmart them with nature’s own defense system. Certain shrubs naturally repel deer thanks to their strong scent, rough texture, or unappealing taste. 

The best part? These hardy plants are beautiful additions to your landscape too. Here are 13 shrubs that deer will not eat — but your neighbors will love.

Boxwood

Boxwood is one of the most reliable evergreen shrubs for deer-prone areas. Its dense, leathery leaves and strong aroma make it unappetizing to deer.
Beyond being deer-proof, boxwood adds classic elegance to your garden. Use it for hedges, topiaries, or foundation plantings that stay lush and green year-round.

Barberry

Barberry’s spiny branches are an instant deterrent — deer quickly learn to steer clear. Its colorful foliage, ranging from golden yellow to deep burgundy, offers eye-catching contrast in any yard.
It’s low-maintenance and drought-tolerant, thriving in sunny spots. Plus, it adds security and structure to your garden borders.

Spirea

Spirea shrubs burst with clusters of pink, white, or red flowers that deer tend to ignore. Their lightly fragrant foliage doesn’t appeal to browsing wildlife.
They’re easy to grow, require minimal pruning, and bloom generously throughout the summer, making them a cheerful and practical garden choice.

Juniper

Junipers are tough, evergreen shrubs with needle-like foliage that deer avoid due to their texture and scent.
They’re excellent for year-round greenery, slopes, or as groundcovers. Choose from compact varieties or tall ones depending on your space — all are virtually deer-proof.

Butterfly Bush (Buddleia)

This vibrant shrub is irresistible to butterflies but not to deer. Its strong fragrance and fuzzy leaves keep them away.
The long, cone-shaped flower clusters bloom all summer, attracting pollinators while adding color and movement to your garden.

Russian Sage

Deer can’t stand the pungent scent and slightly rough texture of Russian Sage. It’s a beautiful, silvery plant that brings a soft, airy look to sunny borders.
It’s drought-tolerant, long-blooming, and pairs perfectly with ornamental grasses or roses for a modern, low-care landscape.

Potentilla

Potentilla’s small, fuzzy leaves and mildly bitter taste make it a no-go for deer. This hardy shrub blooms profusely with bright yellow, pink, or white flowers.
It thrives in tough conditions — from hot sun to poor soil — and stays compact and colorful from spring through fall.

Box Honeysuckle (Lonicera nitida)

Unlike the vine version, this compact shrub form of honeysuckle isn’t attractive to deer. Its dense, tiny leaves and faint scent make it unappetizing.
It’s an excellent hedge or border plant, offering fine texture and easy shaping for neat, formal garden designs.

Caryopteris (Bluebeard)

This late-summer bloomer brings vibrant blue flowers and aromatic foliage that deer dislike.
Caryopteris thrives in full sun and attracts bees and butterflies, adding life and color when many other plants start to fade. Perfect for borders or cottage-style gardens.

Daphne

Daphne’s glossy leaves and highly fragrant blooms are stunning, but deer won’t go near them. Its strong scent and mildly toxic foliage keep your garden safe.
It prefers partial shade and well-drained soil, rewarding you with exquisite pink or white blooms in spring.

Mahonia

Also known as Oregon grape, Mahonia has sharp, holly-like leaves that deer find unappealing.
It’s evergreen, shade-tolerant, and produces yellow flowers followed by blue berries. It’s perfect for adding structure and texture to woodland gardens.

Japanese Pieris (Andromeda)

Japanese Pieris is a graceful evergreen with cascading clusters of white or pink bell-shaped flowers. Deer avoid it due to its tough leaves and slight toxicity.
It thrives in partial shade and pairs beautifully with azaleas and rhododendrons, offering early-spring color and year-round greenery.

Beautyberry

With bright purple berries that pop against green foliage, Beautyberry is both striking and deer-resistant.
Its slightly bitter-tasting leaves and strong scent keep deer at bay while feeding songbirds and adding bold seasonal color.

Why Deer Avoid These Shrubs

Deer rely on taste and scent to decide what to eat, and these shrubs all have one or more natural defenses — whether that’s aromatic oils, bitter sap, prickly leaves, or dense growth. By mixing several of them in your garden design, you create a layered barrier that looks intentional and stylish while keeping wildlife damage to a minimum.