Landscaping Ideas for Texas Hill Country With Deer-Proof Plants & Shrubs

Trees

• Deer damage young trees by nibbling on branches and leaves, and by rubbing their antlers against trunks. Deer-resistant species for Texas Hill Country include the Texas mountain laurel (Sophora secundiflora). This evergreen tree, a native of the Southern U.S., grows to 30 feet tall and wide. It blooms in spring with aromatic, blue-purple flowers followed by red, poisonous seeds. The Texas mountain laurel is hardy in USDA zones 7 to 11. Deer tend to avoid the sharp thorns of the honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos). This Texas native is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 7 and reaches heights to 30 feet. It thrives in sunny sites and produces showy seed pods.

Shrubs

• Protect young shrubs with wire cages to prevent browsing or antler damage. Deer-resistant shrubs for Texas include the thorny elaeagnus (Elaeagnus pungens). This evergreen has glossy foliage and is armed with sharp spines. It blooms with aromatic white flowers in fall and grows to 15 feet tall and wide. The thorny elaeagnus is hardy in USDA zones 7 to 9. Another evergreen, the oleander (Nerium oleander) repels deer with its toxic foliage, stems and flowers. This 15-foot-tall shrub blooms with clusters of fragrant red, white or pink flowers in summer atop dark green or gray-green leaves. Oleander is hardy in USDA zones 6 to 11.

Perennials

• Deer are especially attracted to tender flowers, so choose perennials with aromatic or gray foliage to detract browsing. Choices for the Hill Country include yarrow (Achillea millfolium), a 2-foot-tall perennial with pungent foliage and flowers. Yarrow is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9 and blooms through summer with clusters of white flowers. Lavender cotton (Santolina hamaecyparissus) has gray foliage with a pungent scent. It forms 3-foot-tall clumps and blooms with yellow flowers in summer. Lavender cotton is hardy in USDA zones 6 to 9.

Ferns

• Deer tend to avoid most ferns; use these graceful plants to fill in shady corners of your Hill Country garden. Choices include the Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides), a North American native that grows in USDA zones 3 to 8. This evergreen fern has deep green, lustrous fronds and grows to 3 feet tall. The Southern maidenhair fern (Adiantum capillus-veneris) is hardy in USDA zones 7 to 11 and adds a light, airy look to shaded sites. Reaching heights of 12 inches, this deer-resistant fern grows best in moist soil with an alkaline pH.