DEER-RESISTANT PLANT SPOTLIGHT
Holly
Holly
Ilex
When holly (Ilex spp.) is in bloom, it's abuzz with bees. In winter, it's a vital food source for hungry birds. And all year long, the glossy, deep green leaves provide cover for birds and other wildlife.
Shown: Ilex 'Christmas Jewel', Photo courtesy of Greenleaf Nursery
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Chaste tree
Chaste trees (Vitex agnes-castus) are sometimes compared to a summer-blooming lilac. The purple flower spikes are a hummingbird magnet, and are busy with bees in mid- to late-summer, too.
Holly
When holly (Ilex spp.) is in bloom, it's abuzz with bees. In winter, it's a vital food source for hungry birds. And all year long, the glossy, deep green leaves provide cover for birds and other wildlife.
Shown: Ilex 'Christmas Jewel', Photo courtesy of Greenleaf Nursery
Annuals
Add lasting color to hot, dry sites, with clusters of multicolored blooms. Photo courtesy of Southern Living Plant Collection.
An ornamental oregano with chartreuse foliage and showy purple flowers. New for 2021!
This mix from Harris Seeds & Garden Trends comes in shades of orange, pink, purple, white, and yellow, and offers a fresh scent in addition to eye-catching colors. Photo courtesy of National Garden Bureau
Perennials
A long-blooming perennial for tough, dry sites. 'Celebration' blazes through summer with cheery red flowers. Photo courtesy of Southern Living Plant Collection.
With unique bicolor flower spikes, 'Pink Lemonade' opens yellow and age to dusty purple, with both colors on display at the same time. Full, bushy growth, low maintenance, and long-lived.
An excellent ground cover perennial for dry shade. Delightful flowers in spring, with evergreen foliage. This variety has dark green foliage mottled with dark burgundy.
Bulbs, etc.
Soft white cups on this Large Cup daffodil complement the yellow blooms in this blend from Van Zyverden. Photo courtesy of National Garden Bureau.
A Southern garden classic, glorious hot pink trumpets bloom during the hottest summer months. Photo courtesy of Southern Living Plant Collection.
Large, elegant blooms of white brushed with rose pink edges. Beautiful in containers, and as a cut flower, too. Photo courtesy of NGB/Harris Seeds.
Grassy Plants
Clusters of dainty violet-blue flowers bloom above dark green, grass-like foliage in late spring. Forms a slowly spreading clump. Photo courtesy of Southern Living Plant Collection.
Intense, powder blue foliage stays bright throughout the season without browning. Photo courtesy of Southern Living Plant Collection.
Foliage Plants
Highly heat, humidity, and drought tolerant lavender, with beautifully variegated foliage - and of course, that wonderful fragrance. Photo courtesy of Southern Living Plant Collection.
Spring foliage emerges coral, ages to a ruby red. Shrub forms a vertical accent for landscapes and containers. Photo courtesy of Southern Living Plant Collection.
A cross between manfreda and agave, this tender succulent has the wider leaves of an agave without the extreme spikiness.
Groundcovers
Burgundy-purple leaves with ruby-rose undersides. A well-behaved spreader that works well in containers, too. Low water needs and high heat and humidity tolerance. Photo courtesy of National Garden Bureau.
Evergreen Shrubs
Tall and stately, large frond-like leaves develop in whorls. Sprays of fragrant yellow flowers appear in late fall or early winter. Photo courtesy of Southern Living Plant Collection.
A juniper that's soft to the touch but handles tough, dry sites.
Peppy Le Pom™ is a dwarf ornamental pomegranate with bright orange flowers all summer. It is hardy to Zone 7, but small enough to plant in a container to bring inside in winter. It will be available in garden centers in 2020, and can be ordered using my Amazon Affiliate link by clicking the image.
Large Shrubs & Small Trees
A compact, golden variety of Illicium parviflorum, which maintains its glowing color in shade. The scented, leathery evergreen leaves don't appeal to deer.
Vitex, or chaste tree, is a magnet for hummingbirds and other pollinators, who love the purple flower spikes in summer. Flip Side® has a dusky purple underside to the leaves for an added bonus.
Beautiful double bluish-purple, bi-colored red and pink, and raspberry blooms adorn this medium-size shrub from mid to late summer.