Deer Resistant Ferns: The Top Five Picks
Deer resistant ferns
If you're looking for deer-resistant plants, you can't go wrong with ferns. Deer typically don't eat ferns, so they make an excellent option for deer-prone areas. In this blog post, we'll take a look at the top five deer-resistant ferns. These are the ferns that are most likely to survive in an area where deer are present. Let's get started!
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Best Deer Resistant Ferns
Autumn Fern
The Autumn Fern (Dryopteris Erythrosora) is a great deer-resistant option. This evergreen fern loves the shade. It can be grown in zones 4-9. It's also known as the Japanese red shield fern because of the shiny copper-orange young plant growth. The fronds are glossy and bright green as the plant ages. The Autumn fern has a beautiful bi-colored look to it. The triangular fronds have divided sections. The undersides of the leaves are dotted with pink or red, kidney-shaped spots. This help protects the spores. That is why it is also called the pink shield fern.
The texture of this fern is what deters deer from munching away.
Autumn ferns thrive in shaded areas with rich, slightly acidic soil that holds water. It can get unkept-looking if not trimmed, so it's best to give it a haircut in late winter before new growth begins.
To get the most out of your autumn fern, plant it in a rich bed with about 15 inches between each section. It's best to avoid planting too deep since the crown only needs to be at ground level. The autumn fern is easily stifled by air pollution, therefore if it thrives, you have clean, pure air all around you.
Christmas Fern
The Christmas Fern (Polystichum Acrostichoides) is a deer-resistant fern that is native to North America. It can be found in woods and shady areas. This fern is evergreen and can grow in zones 3-9. It gets its name from its ability to stay green all year long, even during the winter. The fronds are glossy, have a leathery texture, and are sword-shaped. They're dark green, with toothed and boot-shaped leaves. Spores are located on the small, upper leaves of the fertile fronds. Not all fronds are capable of reproducing. The fertile fronds have a narrower tip.
The Christmas fern is deer resistant because the older leaves are rough and contain chemicals that deers dislike.
Christmas fern thrives in shady, moist areas with organic matter. It's best to plant in early spring or fall. You can propagate this fern by dividing the rhizomes in early spring.
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Cinnamon Fern
The cinnamon Fern (Osmunda Cinnamomea) is a deer-resistant fern that is native to North America, and it thrives in damp, shady areas. They grow best in zones 2-10. They are rhizomes that grow gradually from black rootstocks.
The cinnamon fern is one of the most dramatic native ferns. It bears large, vase-shaped clusters that produce vertical cinnamon-colored fruiting spikes in the early spring and hangs on long after the spores have perished. Larger, green sterile fronds surround them. They are quite unique and add interest to your garden.
These ferns repel deer because of the rough texture of their mature fronds.
Cinnamon ferns are easy to grow. They need damp, acidic soil. Plant them in the spring or early summer, about 2 feet apart, with the crowns just above ground level. You can propagate them by division.
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Japanese Painted Fern
The Japanese Painted Fern (Athyrium niponicum) is a deer-resistant fern that is native to eastern Asia but is commonly found in gardens in the United States. It grows best in zones 4-9.
It is a showy, elegant fern that has triangle-shaped silvery-gray fronds with burgundy veins. They hold their color all season. The cultivar Pictum was selected as Perennial Plant of the Year in 2004 by the Perennial Plant Association.
This fern is deer resistant because the deer don't like the texture of its leaves.
The Japanese painted fern spreads through rhizomes at a slow rate. It's simple to propagate them by division in the early spring.
Japanese painted ferns need moist, well-drained soil and partial shade to full shade.
Ostrich Fern
The Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) is a deer-resistant fern that is native to North America, Canada, Europe, and Asia. It grows best in zones 2-6. It prefers cooler climates and often struggles in the heat of the summer or in warmer zones.
This deciduous fern has arching, feathery fronds that can grow up to six feet tall. Resembling of ostrich feathers, the fronds have a ruffled appearance. The young fronds are tightly coiled and unfurl as they mature. The fertile fronds are shorter than the sterile ones and have brown, spore-bearing structures called sporangia on the undersides.
Ostrich ferns are deer resistant because the deer don't like the texture of its leaves.
This fern prefers moist, humus-rich soil. Make sure they have a lot of space to grow as they can spread quickly and that the crown is planted just above the soil level. The ostrich fern can become invasive so it is best to divide ostrich ferns in the spring.
Ferns That Are Deer Resistant
Deer-resistant ferns are a great option for your landscape if you have deer in your area. The ferns we’ve listed are hardy and can withstand moderate browsing by deer.
Remember, though, that no plant is completely deer-proof but these ferns will definitely give the deer pause before munching on them. They provide texture and interest to the landscape all year long, and many of them are native plants that will thrive in your climate zone.
Give one or more of these ferns a try in your garden this year!
