Tag Archives: Deer Proof Perennials

Firewise Plant: Tall Bearded Iris

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Plant Name: Iris hybrids
Common name:  Tall Bearded Iris
Plant Type: Herbaceous Perennial
Plant Height: 16” – 30”
Plant Width:  14” – 24”
Bloom Time: May – June
Flower Color:  Multi-colored including Bicolor
Exposure: Full Sun
Fire Resistant: YES; Zone 1:  Plant 30+ feet from Structure.
Soil Requirements: High Organic Matter; Good Drainage.
Water Needs: Infrequent Watering, but Deeply.
Attributes: Good Cut Flower; Deer Resistant; Drought Tolerant.
Uses: Perennial Border; Cutting Garden; Mass Planted in Naturalized Area.
Note:  Lift & Divided Clumps Every 3 – 4 years in Late Summer After Bloom;
Plant at Soil Level or Slightly Covered; Fertilize in Early Spring; Iris Borer is an Insect Pest;
Additional Problems:  Fungal Diseases/Crown Rot/Mosaic Virus.
Native to: Mediterranean Area
Oregon Native:  NO
USDA Hardiness Zone:  3 – 10

AGC Board Members:

Report by: Viki Ashford, Master Gardener

Photos by: Carlotta Lucas (All photo rights reserved)

Oregon Native Plant: Western Sword Fern

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Plant Name:  Polystichum munitum
Common name: Western Sword Fern
Plant Type:  Evergreen Fern
Plant Height: 1.5’ – 5.5’
Spread: 2’ – 3’
Bloom Time: N/A
Flower Color:  N/A
Exposure: Full Shade to Part Shade
Soil Requirements:  Tolerates variety of soils with adequate moisture.
Water Needs: Weekly deep watering; drought tolerant once established.
Attributes:  Fronds live 1.5 – 2.5 years; hosts butterflies & moths; Deer Resistant.
Note: Cut back dead fronds.
Uses: Ground Cover; Beds & Borders; Woodland Garden.
Native to: Western North America
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone:  6 – 8

Report by: Viki Ashford, AGC member, Master Gardener

Photo Credit: brewbooks from near Seattle, USA / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Western_sword_fern_(Polystichum_munitum)-_Flickr-_brewbooks.jpg

Horticulture Report: Christmas Fern

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Plant Name:  Polystichum acrostichoides Common name: Christmas Fern Plant Type: Evergreen Fern Plant Height: 1’ – 2’ Spread: 1’ – 2’ Bloom Time: N/A Flower Color:  N/A Exposure:  Part Shade to Full Shade Soil Requirements:  Organically Rich, Well-Drained; does not tolerate clay soil. Water Needs: Dry to Medium Attributes:  Winter Interest; Deer Resistant; Young fiddleheads are silvery & scaled in spring. Note: Plant Rhizomes at angle to avoid crown rot. Uses: Borders; Ground Cover, but plant next to each other as does not spread; massing on slopes to control erosion. Native to: Eastern North America Oregon Native:  NO USDA Hardiness Zone:  3 – 9 Report by: Viki Ashford, AGC member & Master Gardener Photo credit: Wiki Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Christmas_Fern_(6928030406).jpg Author: Virginia State Parks staff / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)

Deer – Resistant Salvias

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Attract Hummingbirds, Butterflies, Moths and Bees. Waterwise easy care plants. Flowers colors vary:  white, red, pink , orange , purple, blue, cream  and a mixture of these  colors. Exposure: Full Sun,/Part Sun.

Salvia Microphylla

 Salvia Microphylla:  aka Baby sage.  Outstanding plants with stunning flowers.  Prolific bloomer from spring until fall.   Low water needs.  Height 24-36, depends on variety. USDA Hardiness Zone: 7-11.   Varieties to look for:  ‘Hot Lips’, ‘Red Velvet’, ‘Kew Red’,   ‘Killer Cranberry’, ‘Mesa Azure’

Salvia nemorosa:  aka- Woodland Sage or Balkan Clary. Easy to grow, drought tolerant,  but plant blooms better with average moisture.  Blooms spring, summer, and fall depending on variety.  Height 16-36 inches. USDA Hardiness Zone 3-8. Varieties to look for:  ‘Pink Profusion’, ‘Violet Profusion’, ’White Profusion’ , ‘Pink Dawn’, ‘Caradonna’ (purple) , ‘Blue by You’.  

Salvia elegans Scarlet

Salvia elegans: Pineapple Sage – Bright red exotic flowers attract hummingbirds! Leaves can be used as a culinary herb and have a slight pineapple or citrus taste.   USDA Hardiness Zones 8-10.

Fall Blooming Tall Varieties: Pineapple scented leaves. USD Hardiness Zones 9-10. Variety favorites:  ’Scarlet Pineapple’ 36”Tall,    and  ‘Rockin’® Golden Delicious’  (yellow leaves),  48” tall.

Spring Blooming/Shorter Varieties:  ‘Honey Melon’, 24” tall, blooms late spring, small leaves have a wonderful fruity scent similar to honeydew melon. USDA Hardiness Zones 9-10

’Tangerine Pineapple Sage’ 18” tall, small citrus-scent leaves, blooms mid-spring through fall.  USDA Hardiness Zones 8-10

Salvia greggii:  aka Autumn Sage.  Native to the SW Texas. Good for hot sunny locations and low water gardens, prolific bloomers.  Blooms summer through fall.  USDA Zone: 6-10.  (Hardiness varies by variety.) Best known variety Furman’s Red Texas Hardy to 150F.   Other varieties: Cold hardy Texas Pink, Wild Thing, Mirage™ Deep Purple.

Salvia officinalis – Common culinary sages – Evergreen Perennial Herb – Grayish leaves with blue to purplish flowers.

Salvia officinalis Berggarten

Popular Salvia officinalis Varieties:

‘Berggarten’ 16″ tall x 24″ wide. Robust plant with large silver and gray variegated leaves.  Purple spike flowers appear in early summer. USDA Hardiness Zones 5-11.

Golden Sage – 16″ tall x 24″ wide- Dark green leaves with chartreuse-yellow edges, a small compact plant. Good ornamental plan. Whorls of lavender-blue flowers spikes appear in late spring. USDA Hardiness Zones 6-10.

Purple Sage –16” tall x 12 wide- Gray-green leaves suffused with steely-gray purple producing a unique pungent flavor and aroma.  Showy violet-blue spikes.  Good ornamental and culinary plant. USDA Hardiness Zones 6-9.  Does not like wet roots!

Tricolor Sage – 18″ tall x 24″ wide – Ornamental herb with colorful grayish green leaves marbled with white, pink and purple. Lavender blue flower spikes appear in summer. Leaves produce strong aromatic scent. USDA Hardiness Zones 6-10.

Article and Photos by:  Carlotta Lucas, AGC Board Member

Heucheras (Coral Bells)

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Heucheras: Shade-Loving & Deer-Resistant
Common name: Coral Bells
Plant Type:  Perennial
USDA Zone: 4 – 9

Heuchera_Red Lightning

Heuchera ‘Red Lightening’
Flower Color:  White,  Flower time: June– July
Plant Height: 11 in ,  Width: 16 in
Soil & Water : Rich well-drained soil, moderately moist.
Attributes:  Golden lime green leaves with crimson veins. Flowers attract hummingbirds & butterflies. Humidity & heat tolerant.  Deer resistant. Full -Part Shade.

Heuchera ‘Wild Rose’Heuchera_Wild Rose
Flower Color: Rosy Pink, Flower time: July–August
Plant Height: 8-10 inches, Width: 24 inches
Soil & Water : Rich well-drained soil, moderately  moist.
Attributes:  Purple Leaves with dark veins. Flowers attract hummingbirds & butterflies.  Salt tolerant.  Loves shade. Deer resistant. Full Shade-Part Sun.

Heuchera ‘Georgia Peach’Heuchera_George Peach
Flower Color: Creamy White  Flower time:  June –July
Plant Height: 12-24 inches   Width: 18-24 inches
Soil & Water : Rich well-drained soil, moderately moist.
Attributes:  Attracts hummingbirds & butterflies.  Heat tolerant. Leaves turn purple in the fall.  Deer resistant.  Part Shade-Part Sun

 

Heuchera- Dolce‘ Blackberry Ice’Heuchera_Blackberry Ice
Flower Color: Creamy White  Flower time:  June–July
Plant Height: 12-18 inches   Width: 12-18 inches
Soil & Water : Rich well-drained soil, moderately moist.
Attributes:  Iridescent purple leaves with black veining. Leaves turn metallic pewter in summer hear. Heat tolerant. Deer resistant. Prefers Part Sun. 

Heuchera- Dolce  ‘Cinnamon Curls’Heuchera_Cinnamon Curls
Flower Color: Cream on burgundy stems
Flower time: June–July
Plant Height: 12-18 inches   Width: 18-24 inches
Soil & Water : Rich well-drained soil and moderately  moist.
Attributes:  Stunning leaves!  Heavily ruffled, leathery, glossy. Emerge fiery orange-red in the spring, turning cinnamon, red and purple in the summer.  Undersides are bright magenta!  Deer resistant. Full Shade-Part Sun.

Filling in the Spaces: Part 2

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moss phloxCreeping Phlox/ Moss Phlox (Phlox subulata): Vigorous mat-forming 6” high plant that rambles through rocks and drapes over rock walls. Dense ground cover excellent for controlling erosion on slopes.  Note: Not for pathways, it does not tolerate foot traffic.  Perennial,  Full sun,  Flowers can be white, rose, hot pink or magenta, Deer Resistant. USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 9.

Hen _ChicksHens-and-chicks (Sempervivum)
Ground-hugging, cold hardy, sun loving, drought tolerant succulent.  Leaves form in rosette shapes, propagate by offsets (chicks). With 3,000 cultivars available leaf colors range from shades of green, to silver-blues,  to dark purple, and delicate pink. Use in rock gardens, containers or areas you want to “fill-in”.  Perennial,  Full sun to Part Sun,  Likes Sandy/ Gritty Soil,  Drought Tolerant, Deer proof. Groundcover. USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 10.

Irish moss Sagina_subulataIrish Moss/Corsican Pearl Wort (Sagina subulata)
Handsome lush low-growing green moss that forms a carpet-like foliage 1″ tall. Tiny translucent star-shaped white flowers. Irish Moss is prefect for rock gardens, between stone or paver pathways. Perennial,  Evergreen, Full or Part Shade,  Needs Water & Well-Draining Soil, White Flowers, Deer Proof, Groundcover. USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 10.

Article by Carlotta Lucas