What annuals will deer leave alone?
Jessica Wood
Updated on January 06, 2026
12 Best Flowering Annuals That Deer Will Not Eat
- Cosmos.
- Spider flower.
- Larkspur.
- 'Love and Wishes' sage.
- Mexican sunflower.
- Flowering tobacco.
- Heliotrope.
- Mexican marigold.
What potted flowers will deer not eat?
Daffodils, foxgloves, and poppies are common flowers with a toxicity that deer avoid. Deer also tend to turn their noses up at fragrant plants with strong scents. Herbs such as sages, ornamental salvias, and lavender, as well as flowers like peonies and bearded irises, are just “stinky” to deer.Do deer stay away from marigolds?
All varieties of marigolds are a turnoff for deer because of their strong, pungent scent.Do deer eat petunias or impatiens?
Yes, deer eat impatiens. They will readily eat these plants if you leave them unprotected.How do you keep deer away from annuals?
The very best way to keep deer out of your garden is to plant flowers to which they are not attracted. Annuals such as salvia (Salvia splendens), wax begonias (Begonia semperflorens), snapdragons (Antirrhinum), zinnia (Zinnia elegans) and French marigolds (Tagetes patula) are all deer-resistant flowers.Flowers that deer won't eat - Are they deer proof?
Do deer eat geraniums?
Fortunately, geraniums are not one of the deer's favorite snack times. In reality, you can use geraniums as a deer-resistant plant. Deer resistant plants are plants that deer wouldn't eat most times. Geraniums have a bitter taste, pungent scent, and high toxicity level, making deer stay away from them.What smell do deer hate the most?
Deer have a heightened sense of smell, which they use to effectively find food. You can take advantage of this trait and repel deer by using smells they dislike, such as marigolds, putrescent egg solids, mint, wolf urine, tansy, garlic, thyme, oregano, sage, rosemary, and lavender.Will deer eat begonias?
Not all begonias are deer-resistant, but those with fuzzy stems/leaves or waxy/leathery leaves tend to be. Begonias have rhizomatous or tuberous stems and tremendous species and cultivar diversity, both in numbers (1,800 species worldwide) and in plant form.Do deer eat zinnias?
With their bright beckoning blooms, Zinnias attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and beneficial pollinators from summer to frost. Zinnias are deer resistant, and great for cut flowers, too.Do deer eat vincas?
Vinca, Perennial Plant FeaturesIt's also a great companion for spring-blooming bulbs and perennials. And best of all, vinca is rabbit and deer resistant. Hardy from zones 4-8.