Deer Resistant Plants That Attract Pollinators
Pollinator-Attracting Herbs, Vegetables and Flowers that Deer Avoid
Bee-friendly plants that repel deer? It sounds like a gardener’s dream. As it turns out, quite a large number of flowers, herbs, and even vegetables are deer resistant pollinator plants.
Gardeners and farmers who struggle against deer damage know how difficult it is to grow flowers, fruits, and vegetables with these voracious browsers about. At the same time, growers depend on bees, flower flies, butterflies and hummingbirds to pollinate farm and garden crops. If you select carefully, you can have both together: plants that attract pollinators and are also unpalatable to deer. (Article and plant list continue below slideshow.)
Create a Deer Resistant Pollinator Garden
To create a deer resistant, pollinator attracting garden, you need to look at which plant characteristics draw pollinators and which traits repel deer.
A pollinator-friendly garden includes:– A succession of plants that provide pollen and nectar throughout the season
– Fragrant flowers
– Brightly coloured blooms
– Native wildflowers
– Clusters of flowers grown together
– Pesticide-free plants. These include plants that are free of systemic neonicotinoids (sometimes embedded in nursery seeds and starts). To avoid this, purchase plant starts from certified organic growers.
A deer-resistant garden includes:
– Herbs and flowers with strong aromas
– Prickly plants
– Plants with fuzzy leaves
– Bitter-tasting plants
While plants with these characteristics deter deer, be aware that no garden without a high fence can be completely deer proof. Deer are browsers. This means they may sample almost anything, especially young tender shoots.
A Guide to Deer Resistant Pollinator Plants
Below is a list of deer resistant pollinator plants, including herbs, flowers and vegetables that attract bees, butterflies, flower flies, and hummingbirds to the garden. Plants that are sometimes vulnerable to deer damage are marked as “moderately deer resistant”.
Herbs
Allium (onion family flowers, including wild onions) – bees (moderately deer resistant)
Angelica – bees, flower flies
Basil – bees (moderately deer resistant)
Bee balm (Monarda) – bees, butterflies, hummingbirds (moderately deer resistant)
Borage – bees, butterfly larvae (caterpillars)
Chamomile – bees, flower flies
Cilantro (Coriander) – flower flies (moderately deer resistant)
Comfrey – bees, hummingbirds
Dill – bees, butterflies, flower flies
Catmint (Nepeta) – bees, butterflies
Fennel – bees, butterfly larvae (caterpillars), flower flies
Hyssop – bees, butterflies, flower flies
Lemon balm – bees
Lavender – bees, butterflies
Marjoram – bees
Mint – bees, flower flies
Oregano – butterflies
Parsley – bees, butterflies, flower flies (moderately deer resistant)
Phacelia – bees
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea) – bees, butterflies (moderately deer resistant)
Rosemary – bees
Sage – bees, butterflies, hummingbirds
Savoury – bees
Tarragon – bees
Thyme – bees, butterflies, flower flies
Flowers
Alyssum – bees, butterflies, flower flies
Aster – bees, butterflies, flower flies (moderately deer resistant)
Black-eyed Susan – bees (moderately deer resistant)
Bleeding heart – hummingbirds
Butterfly bush (Buddleja) – butterflies, hummingbirds
Calendula – bees, butterflies, flower flies (moderately deer resistant)
Candytuft – bees, butterflies
Columbine – hummingbirds
Cornflower/Bachelor’s Buttons (considered invasive; grow in pots or confined areas) – bees, flower flies
Cosmos – bees, butterflies, hummingbirds
Crocus – bees
Daisy (Shasta Daisy) – bees, butterflies
Delphinium – butterflies, hummingbirds
Forget-me-not – bees, flower flies
Foxglove – bees, hummingbirds
Globe thistle – bees, butterflies, birds
Goldenrod – bees, butterflies
Heather – bees
Hollyhocks – butterflies, butterfly larvae (caterpillars), hummingbirds
Iris – bees, hummingbirds
Lupine – bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, butterfly larvae (caterpillars)
Marigold – butterflies, flower flies
Pearly Everlasting – butterflies, butterfly larvae (caterpillars)
Penstemon – bees, butterflies, hummingbirds
Poppies – bees
Primrose – bees, flower flies
Salvia – bees, hummingbirds
Snapdragons – bees
Snowdrop – bees
Sea blush – bees, butterflies
Verbena – bees, butterflies, hummingbirds (moderately deer resistant)
Woolly Sunflower – butterflies
Yarrow – butterflies, flower flies
Zinnia – bees, butterflies, flower flies, hummingbirds (moderately deer resistant)
Vegetables (when flowering)
Asparagus – beesCardoons – bees, butterflies
Cucumbers – bees (moderately deer resistant)
Eggplant – bees
Florence fennel – bees, flower flies
Globe artichokes – bees, butterflies (moderately deer resistant)
Ground cherries (Cape gooseberries) – bees
Leeks – bees
Peppers – bees, flower flies (moderately deer resistant)
Onions – bees
Squash – bees (moderately deer resistant)
Tomatillos – bees
Tomatoes – bees (moderately deer resistant)
Turnips – bees, flower flies
More articles:
The Deer Resistant Food Garden
Plant a Bee Attracting Garden
Plants That Attract Beneficials
10 Tips for Year-Round Vegetable Gardens