What Annual Flowers Will Deer Not Eat?

Understanding Deer Foraging

• No annual plant is resistant to damage from a hungry or starving deer. Deer will eat anything in extreme circumstances. In the spring, annuals are at special risk from foraging deer. The young plants produce tender shoots that deer enjoy nibbling. Even if the deer takes small bites from the plant's new growth it may seriously damage the developing annual. Consider placing annuals close to the house to deter deer. Most deer try to avoid humans.

Seldom-Damaged Annuals

• The annual marigold -- Tagetes spp. -- provides the gardener with a wide selection of flower color choices. Hundreds of cultivars exist. Highly adaptable, the marigold tolerates a wide diversity of soils. It prefers a position in full sunlight. The dusty miller -- Senecio cineraria -- produces a mound of silvery leaves that makes a colorful backdrop for flowering plants or a elegant border. It prefers a planting area in full sunlight or partial shade. The plant can tolerate salt spray well.

Occasionally Damaged Annuals

• Sunflowers vary considerably in size and flower color. Gardeners have the option of choosing dwarf varieties or towering plants that produce dinner plate size blooms. The versatility makes the sunflower an ideal annual option. Plant the sunflower in full sunlight for best results. Some sunflower cultivars complete their entire life cycle in only 60 days. Flowering kale -- Brasscia oleacea -- add interest to any landscape in the fall and early winter months when few plants grow. Similiar in appearance to cabbage, flowering kale produces frilly leaves in shades of green, purple, rose, white and yellow, depending on the cultivar.

Annuals for Baskets or Containers

• Placing colorful baskets and containers of annuals that are deer-resistant can greatly benefit the landscape. Baskets and containers are easily moved throughout the summer months to give the garden a different appearance. Petunias are rarely damaged by deer and come in a wide array of flowering colors. They do well in containers or baskets. The plant requires at least five to six hours of sunlight per day to thrive and produce ample blossoms. The geranium - Pelargonium -- is another deer-resistant annual that grows well in pots. It prefers a location in full sunlight.