Shrubs That Grow in Shade & Are Deer Resistant

Deer-resistant shade-loving shrubs offer two landscaping benefits: They put color and texture into what could otherwise be a dull spot in your yard, and they can be used as a barrier to help keep deer away from plants the animals would otherwise devour. Before putting in a wide hedge or stand of these shrubs around susceptible plants, be sure the deer in your area will avoid it.

Also called Japanese knotwood or knotweed, Japanese bamboo (Polygonum cuspidatum) grows to a height of up to 8 feet, making it useful not only to discourage deer but as a privacy hedge. This unusual shrub has hollow, jointed woody stalks and egg-shaped, 6-inch long leaves. Separate male and female plants bloom in August and September. This bushy, spreading shrub will do well in partial shade and moist soil in U.S. Department of Agriculture Hardiness Zones 5 though 9. Japanese bamboo spreads via underground rhizomes, so once started it can be hard to stop.

Viburnum (Viburnum) is an evergreen shrub with many cultivars. For a hedge, consider Chenault viburnum, which has a dense branching habit, dark green foliage and pink to white flowers that bloom in late April and early May. Another good choice is Viburnum plicatum or Kern's Pink, which grows 6 to 8 feet tall and just as wide. In May, it produces light pink snowball flowers, but even after the flowers have gone by, the dark green foliage with magenta margins adds interest and color to any landscaping plan. Most viburnums are suitable for USDA hardiness zones 4 through 8.

Boxwood (Buxus) is another genus that, with 30 species available, offers with a huge variety of choices. Boxwoods need well-drained soil, and they do best in semi-shade. Green mountain boxwood is a dense, upright evergreen shrub that can reach 5 feet in height and 3 feet in width. It has bright green foliage and tiny yellow flowers in the spring. Common or American boxwood grows to up to 10 feet high. The tops of its leaves are dark green, and the bottoms are yellowish green. Boxwoods do well in USDA hardiness zones 4 through 9 and are especially cold tolerant, usually requiring no protection during the winter.

Rhododendrons (Rhododendron) are available with pink, purple, red, white or yellow flowers in an array of shapes and sizes (some as big as a platter). When rhododendrons blossom in the early spring, the dark green foliage is barely visible. A good choice would be Rhododendron P.J.M., an evergreen rhododendron that grows up to 6 feet high and 6 feet wide. This rhododendron has purplish-pink flowers in April. Its foliage turns plum purple in the fall and winter, adding interest throughout the year. Rhododendron P.J.M. is suitable for USDA hardiness zones 4 though 9.