Landscape Planning with the Deer in mind can be highly beneficial.
- Never feed the deer
- Think twice about growing large amounts of english ivy, lettuces, beans, peas, and hostas.
- Check out the list of plants below for more suggestions
What to plant and what not to plant
Some good ways to keep deer out of your yard is to plant short needle spruces around the borders of your garden. If deer can't see what's inside, they're less likely to take that leap of faith onto your property.
Landscape planning on deer winter ranges
Ornamental plants, which may be expected to receive heavy use by deer and are often permanently damaged, should not be planted unless they are completely protected. These plants, although generally highly preferred by and useful to deer, are less likely to survive and more likely to acquire an unattractive appearance due to browsing. Deer will eat most ornamental plants, many of which can recover from moderate use during the spring and summer. Many homeowners are willing to trade the opportunity to view wildlife in backyards for moderate browsing.
Fortunately, some plants are seldom browsed by deer except during harsh weather when other forages are not available. Many of the native shrubs provide forage for mule deer on winter ranges and are also attractive for landscape purposes. Seeds and plant materials for some of these native shrubs may be available from commercial nurseries. The best sources are nurseries that specialize in native plants. Small amounts of seeds for many species of native shrubs can be easily hand-collected in late summer through fall. Blending a variety of native and ornamental plants into a home landscape can create a highly attractive environment for family, friends, mule deer and other wildlife species. Enhancing the home environment and replacing some of the lost wildlife habitat can be enjoyable and beneficial.
Ornamental plants highly preferred by mule deer (generally not recommended for landscaping on deer winter range areas)
Common nameScientific name
Trees
Balsam firAbies balsamea
HazelnutCorylus spp.
Swiss mountain pinePinus mugo
Austrian pinePinus nigro
Scotch pine
Pinus sylvestrix
Shrubs / small trees
Japanese barberryBerberis thunbergi
Japanese quinceChaenameles japonica
Bearberry cotoneasterCotoneaster dammeri
EuonymusEuonymus spp.
ForsythiaForsythia spp.
ElkweedFrasera spp.
JuniperJuniperus spp.
Ptitzer juniperJuniperus chinesis
Tam juniperJuniperus tamariscifolia
LaurelLaurus spp.
FirethornPyracantha spp.
Japanese yewTaxus cuspidata
Arbor-vitaeThuja spp.
Virburnum
Viburnum spp.
Flowers / vines
BugleweedAjuga spp.
CrocusCrocus spp.
Sweet williamsDianthus barbatus
HyacinthHyacinthus spp.
LavenderLavendula spp.
DaffodilNarcissus spp.
PhloxPhlox spp.
StonecropSedum spp.
TulipTulipa spp.
Pansy (Violet)Viola
Ornamental plants moderately preferred by mule deer (generally recommended for landscaping on deer winter range areas)
Common nameScientific name
Trees
Japanese mapleAcer palmatum
Water birch*Betula occidentalis
European white birchBetula pendula
CatalpaCatalpa spp.
LocustGleditsia spp.
MagnoliaMagnolia spp.
AppleMalus spp.
Lombardy poplarPopulus nigra
Quaking aspen*Populus tremuloides
American plumPrunus americana
AlmondPrunus amygdalus
ApricotPrunus armeneniaca
Sweet cherryPrunus avium
Sour cherryPrunus cerasus
PeachPrunus persica
Pear
Pyrus spp.
Shrubs / small trees
Oldman wormwoodArtemisia abrotanum
Red barberryBerberis haematocarpa
Siberian peashrubCamgana arborescens
Peking cotoneasterCotoneaster acutifolia
Cranberry cotoneasterCotoneaster apiculata
Rock cotoneasterCotoneaster horizontalis
Arizona cypressCupressus arizonica
Russian oliveElaeagnus angustifolia
PrivatLigustrum spp.
Purple flower honeysuckleLonicera conjugialis
Tatarian honeysuckleLonicera tatarica
Mock orangePhiladelphus inodorus
Common red currentRibes sativum
Rose (cultivated)Rosa spp.
BlackberryRubus spp.
RaspberryRubus spp.
Pussy willowSalix discolor
Bridal wreathSpirea vanhoutii
CoralberrySymphoricalpos orbiculatis
LilacSyringa spp.
English yewTaxus baccata
Snowball bush
Viburnum opulus
Flowers / vines
SnapdragonAnthirrinum spp.
StrawberryFragaria spp.
CinquefoilPotentilla spp.
*Plant species native to Utah.
Ornamental plants seldom preferred by mule deer (recommended for landscaping on deer winter range areas)
Common nameScientific name
Trees
Norway mapleAcer platanoides
Silver mapleAcer saccharinum
BirchBetula spp.
HawthorneCmtaequs spp.
White ashFraxinus american
Engelmann sprucePicea engelmanni
Blue sprucePicea pungens
Bristle cone pine*Pinus aristata
Japanese black pinePinus thunbergi
Narrowleaf cottonwood*Populus angustifolia
Douglas fir*
Pseudotsuga menziesii
Shrubs / small trees
BambooBambusa spp.
Red-osier dogwood*Cornus stolonifem
Singleleaf ash*Fraxinus anomala
English hollyIlex aquifolium
Shrubby cinquefoil*Potentilla fruticosa
GooseberryRibes grossularia
Yucca
Yucca spp.
Flowers / vines
DaisyBellis spp.
Tiger lily*Lilium tigrinum
MyrtleMyrtus spp.
ButtercupRanunculus spp
WisteriaWisteria spp
*Plant species native to Utah
Native shrubs used by deer in winter that
generally recover during the growing season(Most are also highly attractive to birds and other wildlife species)
Flowers/Fruit
Common nameScientific nameHeight (feet)
Saskatoon serviceberryAmelanchier alnifolia10 feet+Pink and whitePome-edible
Black sagebrushArtemisia nova2 feetSmallSeed
Big sagebrushArtemisia tridentata5 feetYellow-smallSeed
Broom SnakeweedGutierrezia sarothrae1–2 feetYellow-smallSeed
Fourwing saltbushAtriplex canescens5 feetSmall4-wing seed
Creeping barberryBerberis repens1 footYellowBerry-edible
Douglas rabbitbrushChrysothamnus vicidiflorus3 feetYellowSeed
Common blackbrushColeagyne ramosissima6 feetYellow or greenSeed
Mexican cliffroseCowania mexicana6 feetYellow and whiteSeed
Douglas hawthornCrateagus douglasii10 feet+White-showyPome-crab apple
Common winterfatEurotia lanata3 feetSmallSeed
Apache plumeFallugia paradoxa7 feetWhite-showySeed
Myrtle pachistmaPachistima myrsinites2 feetSmall-redSeed
Desert peachbrushPrunus fasciculata5 feetYellowBerry
Choke cherryPrunus virginiana10 feet+White-fragrantBerry-edible
Antelope bitterbrushPurshia tridentata6 feetYellowSeed
Gambel OakQuercus gambelii10 feet+WhiteAcorn
Smooth sumacRhus glabra6 feetYellowBerry-red
Skunkbush sumacRhus trilobata6 feetYellowBerry-red
Golden currentRibes aureum4 feetYellow and pinkCurrents-edible
Nootka roseRosa nutkana3 feetRed-largeRose hips
Woods roseRosa woodsii8 feetRed-largeRose hips
Western red raspberryRubus strigosis3 feetWhite Smallraspberry
Blueberry elderSambucus caerulea8 feetWhiteBerry-edible
Black GreasewoodSarcobatus vermiculatus8 feetSmallSeed
Mountain snowberrySymphoricarpos oreophilus4 feetPinkBerry-white