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Deer-Resistant Plants for Massachusetts

From the Berkshires to Cape Cod, Massachusetts gardeners battle deer that thrive along the state's many woodland corridors. Massachusetts sits in USDA zones 5–7. Below are the 168 plants Rutgers rates A — rarely damaged that are also hardy here: 55 perennials, 28 shrubs, 28 ornamental grasses, 18 annuals. These are the gold-standard picks to start with; another 225 are rated B (seldom damaged) in the full finder.

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PlantBotanical nameType / zonesDeer rating
Ageratum 🦌Ageratum houstonianumAnnualsAnnualA Rarely damaged
Allegheny Spurge 🦌Pachysandra procumbensGroundcoversZ5–9A Rarely damaged
American Holly 🦌Ilex opacaTreesZ5–9A Rarely damaged
Angel's Trumpet 🦌Brugmansia sp. (Datura)AnnualsAnnualA Rarely damaged
Anise 🦌Pimpinalla anisumAnnualsAnnualA Rarely damaged
Anise Hyssop 🦌Agastache sp.PerennialsZ4–10A Rarely damaged
Annual Vinca 🦌Catharanthus roseaAnnualsAnnualA Rarely damaged
Arrowwood Viburnum 🦌Viburnum dentatumShrubsZ3–8A Rarely damaged
Autumn Crocus 🦌Colchicum sp.BulbsZ4–9A Rarely damaged
Barberry 🦌Berberis sp.ShrubsZ4–8A Rarely damaged
Barrenwort 🦌Epimedium sp.GroundcoversZ4–8A Rarely damaged
Basket of Gold 🦌Aurinia saxatilisPerennialsZ3–7A Rarely damaged
Bayberry 🦌Myrica pensylvanicaShrubsZ3–7A Rarely damaged
Bearberry 🦌Arctostaphylos uva-ursiGroundcoversZ2–6A Rarely damaged
Big Bluestem 🦌Andropogon sp.Ornamental GrassesZ3–9A Rarely damaged
Bigleaf Goldenray 🦌Ligularia dentataPerennialsZ4–8A Rarely damaged
Bishop's Weed 🦌Aegopodium podagariaGroundcoversZ3–9A Rarely damaged
Bleeding Heart 🦌Dicentra spectabilisPerennialsZ3–9A Rarely damaged
Blue Fescue 🦌Festuca glaucaOrnamental GrassesZ4–8A Rarely damaged
Blue Mist Shrub 🦌Caryopteris clandonensisShrubsZ5–9A Rarely damaged
Blue Oat Grass 🦌Helictotrichon sempervirensOrnamental GrassesZ4–8A Rarely damaged
Bluebell 🦌Endymion sp.BulbsZ4–9A Rarely damaged
Bottlebrush Buckeye 🦌Aesculus parvifloraTreesZ4–8A Rarely damaged
Broom 🦌Cytisus sp.ShrubsZ5–8A Rarely damaged
Bugleweed 🦌Ajuga reptansGroundcoversZ3–10A Rarely damaged
Bush Cinquefoil 🦌Potentilla fruticosaShrubsZ2–7A Rarely damaged
Butter & Eggs 🦌Linaria vulgarisPerennialsZ3–9A Rarely damaged
Buttercup 🦌Ranunculus sp.PerennialsZ4–8A Rarely damaged
Butterfly Bush 🦌Buddleia sp.ShrubsZ5–9A Rarely damaged
Cactus 🦌Cactaceae sp.PerennialsZ4–11A Rarely damaged
Catmint 🦌Nepeta sp.PerennialsZ3–8A Rarely damaged
Christmas Fern 🦌Polystichum arcostichoidesFernsZ3–9A Rarely damaged
Cinnamon Fern 🦌Osmunda cinnamomeaFernsZ3–9A Rarely damaged
Clump Bamboo 🦌Fargesia sp.Ornamental GrassesZ5–9A Rarely damaged
Common Boxwood 🦌Buxus sempervirensShrubsZ5–8A Rarely damaged
Common Foxglove 🦌Digitalis purpureaBiennialsZ4–8A Rarely damaged
Common Tansy 🦌Tanacetum vulgarePerennialsZ3–9A Rarely damaged
Corydalis 🦌Corydalis sp.PerennialsZ5–8A Rarely damaged
Crown Imperial, Fritilia 🦌Fritilaria imperialisBulbsZ5–8A Rarely damaged
Daffodil 🦌Narcissus sp.BulbsZ3–9A Rarely damaged
Dame's Rocket 🦌Hesperis matronalisPerennialsZ3–8A Rarely damaged
Daphne 🦌Daphne sp.ShrubsZ4–8A Rarely damaged
Devil's Walking Stick 🦌Aralia spinosaShrubsZ4–9A Rarely damaged
Drooping Leucothoe 🦌Leucothoe fontanesianaShrubsZ5–8A Rarely damaged
Dusty Miller 🦌Centaurea cinerariaAnnualsAnnualA Rarely damaged
Dwarf Alberta Spruce 🦌Picea glauca 'Conica'TreesZ2–8A Rarely damaged
European Ginger 🦌Asarum europaeumPerennialsZ4–8A Rarely damaged
False Camomile 🦌Matricaria sp.AnnualsAnnualA Rarely damaged
False Indigo 🦌Baptisia australisPerennialsZ3–9A Rarely damaged
Feather Reed Grass 🦌Calamagrostis sp.Ornamental GrassesZ4–9A Rarely damaged
Flowering Tobacco 🦌Nicotiana sp.AnnualsAnnualA Rarely damaged
Forget-Me-Not 🦌Myosotis sp.PerennialsZ3–8A Rarely damaged
Forget-Me-Not 🦌Myosotis sylvaticaAnnualsAnnualA Rarely damaged
Fountain Grass 🦌Pennisetum alopecuroidesOrnamental GrassesZ5–9A Rarely damaged
Fragrant Sumac 🦌Rhus aromaticaShrubsZ3–9A Rarely damaged
Fringed Bleeding Heart 🦌Dicentra eximiaPerennialsZ3–9A Rarely damaged
Garden Sage 🦌Salvia officinalisPerennialsZ4–8A Rarely damaged
Germander 🦌Teucrium chamaedrysPerennialsZ5–9A Rarely damaged
Giant Japanese Silver Grass 🦌Miscanthus floridulisOrnamental GrassesZ4–9A Rarely damaged
Giant Reed 🦌Arundo donaxOrnamental GrassesZ6–10A Rarely damaged
Golden Bamboo 🦌Phyllostachys aureaOrnamental GrassesZ6–10A Rarely damaged
Greek Jerusalem Sage 🦌Phlomis sp.PerennialsZ5–9A Rarely damaged
Hakonechloa 🦌Hakonechloa macraOrnamental GrassesZ5–9A Rarely damaged
Hard Rush 🦌Juncus effususOrnamental GrassesZ4–9A Rarely damaged
Hayscented Fern 🦌Dennstaedtia punctilobulaFernsZ3–8A Rarely damaged
Heath 🦌Erica sp.ShrubsZ5–7A Rarely damaged
Heather 🦌Calliuna sp.ShrubsZ4–7A Rarely damaged
Heliotrope 🦌Heliotropium arborescensAnnualsAnnualA Rarely damaged
Holly Fern 🦌Cyrtomium falcatumFernsZ6–11A Rarely damaged
Horehound 🦌Marrubium vulgarePerennialsZ3–9A Rarely damaged
Horseradish 🦌Armoracia rusticanaPerennialsZ3–9A Rarely damaged
Hyssop 🦌Hyssopus officinalisPerennialsZ3–9A Rarely damaged
Indian Grass 🦌Sorghastrum nutansOrnamental GrassesZ4–9A Rarely damaged
Iris 🦌Iris sp.PerennialsZ3–9A Rarely damaged
Jack-in-the-pulpit 🦌Arisaema triphylumPerennialsZ4–9A Rarely damaged
Japanese Black Pine 🦌Pinus thunbergianaTreesZ5–8A Rarely damaged
Japanese Blood Grass 🦌Imperata cylindricaOrnamental GrassesZ5–9A Rarely damaged
Japanese Painted Fern 🦌Athyrium goeringianum (nipponicum)FernsZ4–9A Rarely damaged
Japanese Pieris, Andromeda 🦌Pieris japonicaShrubsZ5–8A Rarely damaged
Japanese Plum Yew 🦌Cephalotaxus harringtoniaShrubsZ6–9A Rarely damaged
Japanese Sedge 🦌Carex sp.Ornamental GrassesZ5–9A Rarely damaged
Japanese Silver Grass 🦌Miscanthus sinensisOrnamental GrassesZ4–9A Rarely damaged
Japanese Skimmia 🦌Skimmia japonicaShrubsZ6–8A Rarely damaged
Japanese Sweet Flag 🦌Acorus sp.Ornamental GrassesZ5–9A Rarely damaged
John T. Morris Holly 🦌Ilex x 'John T. Morris'ShrubsZ6–9A Rarely damaged
Katsura Tree 🦌Cercidiphyllum japonicumTreesZ4–8A Rarely damaged
Lamb's Ear 🦌Stachys byzantinaPerennialsZ4–8A Rarely damaged
Large Blue June Grass 🦌Koeleria glaucaOrnamental GrassesZ4–9A Rarely damaged
Larkspur 🦌Consolida ambiguaAnnualsAnnualA Rarely damaged
Lavendar 🦌Lavandula sp.PerennialsZ5–9A Rarely damaged
Lavender-Cotton 🦌Santolina chamaecyparissusPerennialsZ6–9A Rarely damaged
Leatherleaf Mahonia 🦌Mahonia bealeiShrubsZ6–9A Rarely damaged
Lemon Balm 🦌Melissa officinalisPerennialsZ3–7A Rarely damaged
Lenten or Christmas Rose 🦌Helleborus sp.PerennialsZ4–9A Rarely damaged
Lily of the Valley 🦌Convallaria majalisGroundcoversZ2–7A Rarely damaged
Little Bluestem 🦌Schizachyrium scopariumOrnamental GrassesZ3–9A Rarely damaged
Lungwort 🦌Pulmonaria sp.PerennialsZ3–8A Rarely damaged
Lydia Morris Holly 🦌Ilex x 'Lydia Morris'ShrubsZ6–9A Rarely damaged
Lyme Grass 🦌Leymus arenarius glaucousOrnamental GrassesZ4–9A Rarely damaged
Marjoram 🦌MajoranaPerennialsZ7–11A Rarely damaged
May Apple 🦌PodophyllumPerennialsZ3–9A Rarely damaged
Meadow Rue 🦌Thalictrum sp.PerennialsZ4–8A Rarely damaged
Mimosa 🦌Albizia julibrissinTreesZ6–9A Rarely damaged
Mint 🦌Mentha sp.PerennialsZ3–9A Rarely damaged
Monkshood 🦌Aconitum sp.PerennialsZ3–7A Rarely damaged
Moonglow Juniper 🦌Juniperus scopulorum 'Moonglow'ShrubsZ3–7A Rarely damaged
Mountain Pieris 🦌Pieris floribundaShrubsZ4–6A Rarely damaged
New York Fern 🦌Thelyptens noveboracensisFernsZ4–8A Rarely damaged
Northern Sea Oats 🦌Chasmanthium latifoliumOrnamental GrassesZ3–8A Rarely damaged
Oregano 🦌Origanum sp.PerennialsZ4–9A Rarely damaged
Oregon Grape Holly 🦌Mahonia aquifoliumShrubsZ5–8A Rarely damaged
Oriental Fountain Grass 🦌Pennisetum orientaleOrnamental GrassesZ5–9A Rarely damaged
Ornamental Onion 🦌Allium sp.PerennialsZ3–9A Rarely damaged
Ornamental Onion 🦌Allium sp.BulbsZ3–9A Rarely damaged
Ostrich Fern 🦌Matteuccia struthiopterisFernsZ3–7A Rarely damaged
Pachysandra 🦌Pachysandra terminalisGroundcoversZ4–8A Rarely damaged
Pampus Grass 🦌Cortaderia selloanaOrnamental GrassesZ7–11A Rarely damaged
Paper Birch 🦌Betula papyriferaTreesZ2–7A Rarely damaged
Pawpaw 🦌Asimina trilobaTreesZ5–9A Rarely damaged
Peony 🦌Paeonia sp.PerennialsZ3–8A Rarely damaged
Pitch Pine 🦌Pinus rigidaTreesZ4–7A Rarely damaged
Poppy 🦌Papaver sp.AnnualsAnnualA Rarely damaged
Pot Marigold 🦌Calendula sp.AnnualsAnnualA Rarely damaged
Potentilla, Cinquefoil 🦌Potentilla sp.PerennialsZ3–8A Rarely damaged
Prince of Wales Juniper 🦌Juniperus horizontalis 'Prince of Wales'ShrubsZ3–9A Rarely damaged
Purple Moor Grass 🦌Molinia caeruleaOrnamental GrassesZ4–9A Rarely damaged
Purple Rock-Cress 🦌Aubretia deltoideaPerennialsZ4–8A Rarely damaged
Ravenna Grass 🦌Erianthus ravennaeOrnamental GrassesZ6–9A Rarely damaged
Red Elderberry 🦌Sambucus racemosaShrubsZ3–7A Rarely damaged
Red Pine 🦌Pinus resinosaTreesZ2–5A Rarely damaged
River Birch 🦌Betula nigraTreesZ4–9A Rarely damaged
Rock-Cress 🦌Arabis caucasicaPerennialsZ4–7A Rarely damaged
Rocket Ligularia 🦌Ligularia 'The Rocket'PerennialsZ4–8A Rarely damaged
Rodgers Flower 🦌Rodgersia sp.PerennialsZ4–7A Rarely damaged
Rose Campion 🦌Lychnis coronariaPerennialsZ4–8A Rarely damaged
Rosemary 🦌Rosmarinus officinalisAnnualsAnnualA Rarely damaged
Royal Fern 🦌Osmunda regalisFernsZ3–9A Rarely damaged
Rue 🦌Ruta sp.PerennialsZ4–9A Rarely damaged
Russian Cypress 🦌Microbiota decussataShrubsZ3–7A Rarely damaged
Russian Olive 🦌Elaeagnus angustifoliaShrubsZ2–7A Rarely damaged
Russian Sage 🦌Perovskio atriplicifoliaPerennialsZ4–9A Rarely damaged
Sensitive Fern 🦌Onoclea sensibilisFernsZ4–9A Rarely damaged
Siberian Bugloss 🦌Bruneria macrophylla (Brunnera)PerennialsZ3–8A Rarely damaged
Siberian Squill 🦌Scilla sibericaBulbsZ2–8A Rarely damaged
Silver Mound 🦌Artemisia sp.PerennialsZ3–8A Rarely damaged
Small Globe Thistle 🦌Echinops ritroPerennialsZ3–9A Rarely damaged
Snapdragon 🦌Antirrhinum majusAnnualsAnnualA Rarely damaged
Snow-on-the-Mountain 🦌Euphorbia marginataAnnualsAnnualA Rarely damaged
Snowdrops 🦌Galanthus nivalisBulbsZ3–7A Rarely damaged
Spider Flower 🦌Cleome sp.AnnualsAnnualA Rarely damaged
Spotted Deadnettle 🦌Lamium sp.GroundcoversZ3–8A Rarely damaged
Spurge 🦌Euphorbia sp. (except 'Chameleon')PerennialsZ4–9A Rarely damaged
Statice 🦌Limonium latifoliumPerennialsZ4–9A Rarely damaged
Strawflower 🦌HelichrysumAnnualsAnnualA Rarely damaged
Sweet Alyssum 🦌Lobularia maritimaAnnualsAnnualA Rarely damaged
Sweet Box 🦌Sarcoccoca hookerianaShrubsZ6–9A Rarely damaged
Sweet Woodruff 🦌Galium odoratum (Asperula odorata)GroundcoversZ4–8A Rarely damaged
Switch Grass 🦌Panicum virgatumOrnamental GrassesZ4–9A Rarely damaged
Tarragon 🦌Artemisia dracunculusPerennialsZ4–8A Rarely damaged
Threadleaf Coreopsis 🦌Coreopsis verticillataPerennialsZ3–9A Rarely damaged
Thyme 🦌Thymus sp.PerennialsZ4–9A Rarely damaged
Variegated Purple Moor Grass 🦌Molinia caerulea 'Variegata'Ornamental GrassesZ4–9A Rarely damaged
Varigated Oat Grass 🦌Arrhenatherum elatiusOrnamental GrassesZ4–9A Rarely damaged
Weeping Love Grass 🦌Eragrostus curvulaOrnamental GrassesZ5–9A Rarely damaged
Wild Ginger 🦌Asarum canadensePerennialsZ3–8A Rarely damaged
Winter Aconite 🦌Eranthus hyemalisBulbsZ3–7A Rarely damaged
Wood Fern 🦌Dryopteris marginalisFernsZ3–8A Rarely damaged
Yucca 🦌Yucca filimentosaPerennialsZ4–11A Rarely damaged

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