Darwin’s Barberry is probably one of the showiest barberries in bloom and has excellent performance in Western Oregon. Deep green, glossy, prickily small leaves clothe the frame of this dense and arching shrub. In March/April the whole plant is alight in chains of vivid orange/yellow pendant small flowers. They come in such abundance as to obscure the foliage. By summer those that found a pollinator transform into blue berries covered in a light powdery bloom. Full sun to very light shade in virtually any soil that does not experience standing water. This Chilean native loves our similar maritime climate and is supremely tolerant of summer drought as well. Typically grows to 4′ x 6′ moderately fast. High deer resistance. Locate out of the path of subfreezing wind (east wind) in Portland as it can burn the foliage in severe arctic events. Recovers quickly. No longer recommended for the Oregon Coast. It has been recorded as escaped in several coastal counties. Inland colder temperatures mitigate invasiveness.
Plants with Deer Resistance
There is nothing more frustrating than deer devouring your garden. Deer are a lot like people, they will try anything, especially if its new. So, while there are no plants that are 100% deer-proof here are some selections from our plant list that have proven to be less often on the menu. Of course a fence is always the best defense.
Tip: pay attention not just to the species but the genus as well. Though not 100% impervious, some are much less prone to consumption than others. Pay attention to what they don’t eat, for instance they seldom eat Digitalis therefore, it would be prudent to try other species of Digitalis rather than moving on to a completely different genus. You’d be surprised the choices that you have. To extend that line of thinking. Notice that deer seldom bother Boxwood, therefore it would be wise to try other plants in that family (Buxaceae). You might be surprised to find that Sarcococca and Pachysandra are both in that family and their deer resistance is good too. A few other families that share deer resistance are the Iris family (Iridaceae), Ferns (Dryopteraceae) and Daphne, (Thymelaceae). Remember that you don’t know if they will consume it unless you try and deer have tastes that not only vary they can also change.
If you don’t feel like springing for a fence and you insist that Bambi shine free I’ve had relatively good luck with 1cm x 1cm black bird netting, It can be stretched around tree trunks or posts to provide some measure of protection, and it is almost invisible from a distance. The downside is that deer can become tangled in it and UV seems to break it down. But as a temporary barrier it has merits.
More considerations:
Deer will seek out irrigated plants during the driest parts of the year (wouldn’t you?)
Newly installed plants are often more vulnerable. It’s a deer- it can’t tell the difference between your new favorite plant or an offering of food.
Deer will rut on plants, often small trees- they should be protected if vulnerable. Surround with sheep wire to 6’ tall. Rutting is to remove fur from their antlers and to leave their scent. Either way it really screws up trees when they rub off the bark and branches especially if the tree is very young.
Deer do what nature tells them to do- not to piss off gardeners- innovation and patience are your responsibility.
Climate Adapted Plants for Gardeners in the PNW
Berberis x lologensis
Very cool, rare evergreen barberry hybrid that is naturally occurring in the far southern Andes of Chile/Argentina. Apparently where B. darwinii and B. linearis grow together you can get this lovely huge evergreen flowering shrub. In early spring the arching stems are lined with pendant flowers that arrive as bright red buds and open to hot orange- both colors are present on the flowers which have the fragrance up close of coconut oil. Large growing arching shrub with kind of a wonky habit. Site it where you can spot the vivid flowers in March and then let this spiny creature fade into the background for the rest of the year. Completely drought adapted but will also take regular water. Virtually any soil apart from standing water. Perfectly hardy to cold. High deer resistance. Very difficult to propagate so we only have this fast growing handsome shrub on occasion. But no one else grows it so we list it. Long lived.
Blechnum penna-marina (Austroblechnum penna-marina)
Antarctic Water Fern is a low creeping evergreen ground cover fern for moist shady sites. To just 5″ tall the new fronds emerge a bright red before settling to soft green. The pointed finely divided leaves overlap densely creating a cover that blocks weeds. Slowly expands up to 3′-4′ wide when really happy. Rich, moisture retentive soil with regular summer water. Avoid compacted dry clay- does not like. Easy to grow in woodlands, Excellent performance under large shrubs. Avoid hot sun. Good small scale shady ground cover. High deer resistance. Chile.
Blechnum spicant (Struthiopteris spicant)
The second most common fern in western Oregon Deer fern is a lovely native evergreen clumping perennial that is invaluable. The tiered upright and then settling to horizontal mid green glossy fronds are handsome all the time. To 2′ wide and 2′ tall (when fronds are emerging). Rich, moisture retentive soil high in organic matter. Light summer water in part shade to shade. Familiar fern of the Oregon Cascades but very widespread. High deer resistance. Excellent native fern for life between Rhododendrons and Pieris that are ancient. This fern loves part shade and cool moist soils but has a bit of drought adaptation as well. Its supremely adapted to to the rough life of competition. Useful plant that looks very good year round. Design by Vanessa Gardner Nagel Seasons Design. Oregon native plant.
Bolax (Azorella) gummifera
Incredibly useful and handsome and tough creeping evergreen ground cover. The fine interlaced leaves have a texture very much like plastic or tupperware. It creeps along forming tight rosettes that join. In summer the whole surface of this flush plant is covered in chartreuse yellow flowers. Not showy but conspicuous for a plant that looks uniform and green all year. One of the best ground covers between pavers as it can handle compacted soil better than other small scale ground covers. And this is a small scale ground cover, don’t try to cover acreage. Be reasonable and expect good coverage over a space no larger than 5′ x 5′. Glossy foliage sparkles when wet. Regular summer water speeds growth though it is tolerant of dry periods but not complete drought. Expect each 4″ plant to expand to the size of an apple pie in a season. Completely deer resistant. Top dress with compost every few years- especially if it is between pavers. To 1/4″ tall by 1′ wide. Full sun to the very lightest shade. Carrot family.
Boorinda angustissima
Little leaf CLUMPING Bamboo has risen to the top as one of our favorite Bamboos. Rapid growing with culms shooting quickly to 10′ tall, they then become clad in masses of tiny mid-green leaves as the culms begin to leaf they slowly sink down. The effect is a a wide spreading fountain. The clump increases painfully slow though and the 1/2″ culms crowd together at the base. Part shade to shade in any well drained soil. Extremely drought adapted for a bamboo. Though it does not run you must give it a wide berth to arch. Amazing texture of green fountains. Culms are purple upon expanding. Light summer water. Protect from reflected heat of hot walls. Takes pruning exceedingly well. Responds almost immediately as a denser plant. It appears best to prune once the culm has completely unfurled. Then head back the culm from the top. If you against pruning it sounds brutal but it actually looks quite natural and does not really diminish the plants grace.
Brachyglottis greyi
Excellent grey leaved evergreen low shrub for hot and sunny sites. To 3′ x 4′. Foliage is grey on the top of the rounded leaves with a distinct white undersides. In summer clusters of brilliant yellow daisies are showy and provide excellent contrast. Best in poor to average well drained soils – accepts clay soils with little summer water. Very drought tolerant. Best in the mildest gardens. Dry hillsides, shrub borders, hot aspects. Little to light summer water. Good deer resistance. Cold hardy to about 10ºF or a little lower if soil is strictly un-amended and summer water is sparse- neglect leads to a hardier plant in the long run. New Zealand. Excellent performance at the Oregon Coast. Don’t be afraid to cut back this shrub after blooming has ending. Cut several inches into existing branches this will form a dense upright plant with more foliage and a tidier habit. Very good urban shrub.
Brachyglottis monroi
Fun small shrub that we love for its wavy (undulate) gray foliage and compact habit. Evergreen shrub to 3′ x 3′ moderately fast. In summer it is topped by clusters of electric yellow daisies- nice contrast with the gray foliage. Full sun and well drained soil with light to little summer water once established. Avoid exposure to subfreezing east winds- site on a south or west facing aspect if you are in the wind zone. Excellent performance on hot dry slopes. Moderate deer resistance. Great at the Oregon Coast. Evergreen. New Zealand.
Buddleia loricata
South African Buddleia that we are not concerned about escape, We’ve had this plant on our propagation hill for 15+ years, and there is even a rich stock bed right beside NEVER had a single seedling. Kind of wish I would. Thin tapered gray leaves are pure white underneath and along the stems. This downy appearance reads as light gray from a distance. Forms a rounded shrub to about 6′ tall x 4′ wide in 4 years. Blooms on wood from the previous year (important)- restrict pruning to directly after you are sick of the flowers. Large clusters of off white faintly fragrant flowers appear in late spring and remain in bloom to August, sometimes longer. Moderately fast growing evergreen for excellently drained soils to rich soils in full sun. I would err on the side of poor soil, its a tough shrub with great drought tolerance. Two ideal companions to our stock plant are Bupleurum fruticosum and Grevillea australis. Not only does it look good this 1/2 gravel 1/2 clay substrate is kind of rough and all three thrive. You may cut back very hard to refresh/resize- May skip a year of bloom but its a fantastic evergreen gray foliage plant on those merits. High deer resistance. Drought adapted and cold hardy. We’ve never irrigated ours. Pretty shrub for texture. Nice transitional shrub with Ozothamnus or Grevilleas and even Manzanitas.
Bupleurum fruticosum
A subtle but very sophisticated hardy evergreen shrub that is found in all the best gardens. Shiny sea-green leaves are reminiscent of a Euphorbia and are handsome year round. In summer long stems sport umbels of chartreuse green flowers gives away its familial affinity to Dill. Tough shrub that is adaptable to all but boggy soils. To 6’ tall and as wide in several years. Blooms on new wood, may be hard pruned in early spring nearly to the ground to refresh and resize. Re-growth is rapid. Equally tolerant of drought and regular irrigation. A great plant that instantly makes a planting look sophisticated. Excellent with Lavenders and Russian sage. An irresistible pollinator plant that will be covered in multitudes of insects while in bloom. Very easy to grow. Water weekly until firmly established.
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