Plant Name: Allium acuminatum
Common Name: Hooker’s onion
Plant type : Deciduous Perennial Herb
Height: 0’ – 2’
Spread: 0’ – 1’
Bloom Time: May – July
Flower Color: Purple, White, Pin
Exposure: Sun to Part Shade
Soil Requirements: Dry, well-drained; sandy/loamy
Water Needs: Occasional Summer Water
Attributes: Bulblets reproduce easily; strong onion smell; deer resistant; attracts pollinators: bats, butterflies, birds; nectar source for butterflies
Note: Flowers appear on long stalks after leaves have died; goes dormant in summer after going to seed
Uses: Rock Garden; Dry Open Meadows; Habitat Restoration; Green Roof
Native to: Western United States
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone 5 – 9
Tag Archives: Deer Resistant Perennials
Firewise Plant: Arctostaphylos uva-ursi ‘Point Reyes’
Plant Name: Arctostaphylos uva-ursi ‘Point Reyes’
Common name: Point Reyes Bearberry Manzanita
Plant type: Groundcover
Height: 12” – 18”
Spread: 1’ – 6’
Bloom Time: Winter – Spring
Flower Color: PinkExposure: Sun to Part Shade
Soil Requirements: Well Draining; Tolerant of Most Soil Types.
Water Needs: Low to Moderate
Attributes: Insects & Hummingbirds Attracted to Flowers; Fruit & Seed Eating Birds Attracted to Fruit ; Deer Resistant.
Firewise: YES; Zone 5 – Plant 60’+ from House.
Note: Prune in Early Spring as Needed to Contain Spread.
Uses: Slope Stabilizer; Bee, Bird, Hummingbird Gardens; Lawn Substitute.
Native to: Alaska to Canada to Western United States
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone: 6 – 10
Article by Viki Ashford, AGC Member & Master Gardener
Photos by OSU https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/arctostaphylos-uva-ursi-point-reyes
Firewise Plant: Blanket Flower (Gaillardia)
Plant Name: Gaillardia varieties
Common name: Blanket Flower
Plant Type: Perennial
Plant Height: 8” – 36”
Plant Width: 12” – 24”
Bloom Time: June – September
Flower Color: Red, Gold, Burgundy
Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Requirements: Well-Drained
Water Needs: Low
Fire Resistant: YES; Zone 1-8, Plant 30’+ from House.
Attributes: Drought Tolerant; Deer Resistant; Attracts Birds & Butterflies; Other Pollinators.
Uses: Good Cut Flower; Container Plant; Borders; Butterfly Gardens;
Note: Deadhead for Continuous Bloom; Keep Some Seed Heads for Birds; Cutting Back Clumps in Late Summer Increases Chance of Winter Survival; Divide Clumps Every 2 – 3 Years in Spring or Early Fall for Plant Vigor; Susceptible to Powdery Mildew, Leafspot, & Leafhoppers.
Native to: Western North America
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone: 3 – 10
Report by: Viki Ashford, AGC Member/Master Gardener
Photo credit: Lazaregagnidze, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Firewise Plant: Aurinia saxatilis (Basket-of-Gold)
Plant Name: Aurinia saxatilis
0Common name: Basket-of-Gold
Plant Type: Herbaceous Perennial
Plant Height: 8” – 18”
Plant Width: 1’ – 2’
Bloom Time: April – May
Flower Color: Gold to Light Yellow
Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Requirements: Average to Sandy, Well-Drained Soil; Intolerant of Clay Soil.
Water Needs: Low
Fire Resistant: YES; Zone 8 = 30’+ from house.
Attributes: Attracts Butterflies; Deer Resistant; Showy Flower; Drought Tolerant; Nectar Source for Beneficial Insects.
Uses: Rock Gardens; Ground Cover; Border Fronts.
Note: Prune After Flowering to Maintain Shape; Possible Aphid Problem.
Native to: Central & Southeastern Europe
Oregon Native: NO
USDA Hardiness Zone: 3 – 7
Report by: Viki Ashford, AGC Member/ Master Gardener
Photo credit: Meneerke bloem, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Firewise Plant: Geranium cinereum

Ballerina Cranesbill
Plant Name: Geranium cinereum
Common name: Cranesbill
Plant Type: Semi-Evergreen Perennial
Plant Height: 4” – 6”
Plant Width: 10” – 12”
Bloom Time: May – September
Flower Color: Pink, White, Magenta
Exposure: Full to Part Sun
Soil Requirements: Chalk, Loam, Sand; Good Drainage.
Water Needs: Low to Average
Fire Resistant: YES – Zone 1-8, Plant 30’+ from House.
Attributes: Deer Resistant; Attracts Butterflies.
Uses: Ground Cover; Rock Gardens; Border Edging; Containers.
Note: Shear Plants by One-Half in Mid Summer to Encourage Bushy Growth & Repeat Blooming.
Native to: Pyrenees Mountains
Oregon Native: NO
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 – 9
Firewise Plant: Prairie Coneflower
Plant Name: Ratibida columnifera
Common name: Prairie Coneflower or Mexican Hat
Plant Type: Herbaceous Perennial
Plant Height: 18” – 24”
Plant Width: 12” – 24”
Bloom Time: July – October
Flower Color: Yellow or Red with Distinct Tall Center.
Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Requirements: Dry to Moist Well-Drained; Loamy/Sandy.
Water Needs: Medium
Fire Resistant: YES; Zone 2 – Plant 40’+ from House.
Attributes: Drought Tolerant; Deer Resistant; Long Bloom Season; Nectar for Bees, Butterflies, Insects; Seeds for Birds.
Uses: Sunny Borders; Rock Gardens; Native Plant Gardens; Containers.
Native to: Most of North America, but NOT Oregon
Oregon Native: NO
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 – 9
Report by: Viki Ashford, AGC Member/Master Gardener
Photo courtesy of: Stickpen, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons