Is Lavender Deer Resistant?

Lavender is a beautiful, reliable perennial, favored for its bright blue blooms and its hearty fragrance. Many gardeners who experience deer damage in their gardens often turn to this shrubby perennial to minimize the impact this pest can have.

Effects

• Deer tend to shy away from the highly fragrant and tasty herbal plants that we enjoy. Lavender's bitter flavor usually renders it immune from browsing deer.

Significance

• Use lavender near other more vulnerable plants to protect them from deer damage. The strong odor of lavender is often enough to keep deer away from beds planted with it.

Location

• When other food sources are scarce, deer will eat plants they don't generally like, including lavender. If deer damage your lavender, plant it near the house and closer to human activity to keep them at bay.