- Perennials that repel both deer and rabbits include the ornamental onion. This aromatic perennial grows from 6 inches to 4 feet tall and thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. Depending on cultivar, ornamental onions produce puffy, round, purple, blue, pink, yellow or white blossoms at different times throughout the growing season.
Alum root blooms in midsummer with red to pink, bell-shaped blossoms. Alum root attracts hummingbirds, but detract deer and rabbits. These spreading perennials grow up to 30 inches tall with an equal spread. Plant alum root in full sun to partial shade and rich, well-drained soil.
Other deer and rabbit-resistant perennials include bergamot, campion, coneflower, iris and sea lavender. - As its name would suggest, prickly thrift has pointed, prickly foliage. This mounding evergreen grows up to 8 inches tall with a spread up to 18 inches and blooms with white to pink flowers in early to midsummer. Prickly thrift prefers full sun and dry, well-drained soils.
Wooly yarrow also detracts deer and rabbits with its hairy foliage. A sun-loving plant, the wooly yarrow has gray-green leaves and yellow summer flowers. Plant the wooly yarrow, which grows up to 12 inches tall, in dry soils along the edge of borders or in rocky areas.
Other deer- and rabbit-resistant ground covers include barrenwort, bugleweed, candytuft, lady's mantle, snow-in-summer and spotted dead nettle. - The many varieties of cotoneaster shrubs repel deer and rabbits. This hardy evergreen has stiff, tough branches. Creeping cultivars grow to as little as 1 1/2 feet, while other, larger varieties can grow up to 15 feet tall. Most cotoneasters prefer sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained soil.
The potentilla, a deciduous shrub, grows up to 3 feet tall and produces yellow flowers from summer through fall. This slow-growing shrub tolerates poor soils and thrives in full sun to light shade. The lilac, also deciduous, grows up to 15 feet tall. Lilacs produce highly fragrant flowers in spring. Plant the lilac in sun to partial shade.
Other deer- and rabbit-repelling choices include curl leaf mountain mahogany, holly, tall Western sage, sumac and viburnum. - The green and white ashes repel both rabbits and deer. The green ash grows quickly to heights up to 60 feet, while the slower-growing white ash can reach up to 80 feet in height. Both these deciduous trees tolerate a range of soil types and prefer full sun.
The Italian cypress also resists both creatures. This upright evergreen grows up to 30 feet tall and has blue-green, needlelike foliage. Italian cypress prefer full sun and tolerate a variety of soils.
Other resistant trees include hackberry, Japanese maple, magnolias, pines and vine apple.
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