easy to grow plants – Page 2 – Extension Master Gardener Volunteers of Durham County

By Lissa Lutz, N.C. State Extension Master Gardener^SM volunteer of Durham County

(Image credit: Pixabay/MrsBrown)

Figuring out how to garden when you have deer is already a challenge, so you may be wondering how it can be done using only native plants. But fear not; with a little planning and careful plant selection it can be done. If you are just beginning to transition to native plants, keep in mind that a ratio of 70% native to 30% non-native is an acceptable and reasonable goal.¹ While non-native plants are generally unable to host caterpillar species that are a critical food source for baby birds, there are some deer-resistant selections that can provide nectar for pollinators, habitat for animals, and structure and beauty in the garden design.

Plan for Structure in the Garden

When designing a new garden bed, it can be helpful to start with shrubs or small trees, particularly evergreens, that will provide structure or “bones” for the garden.The evergreen native yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria) can be a solid backdrop to your other native plants.² It tolerates sun to shade, comes in dwarf forms, and sports bright red berries in fall through winter which provide food for songbirds and small mammals. Sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia), sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus), and beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) are native shrubs that are not evergreen but can offer structure and texture to the winter design, and attractive foliage, flowers and berries during the other seasons. All three thrive in full sun to part shade. Calycanthus has fragrant spring blooms and Clethra’s late summer white flowers are a magnet for pollinators. Callicarpa sports a multitude of small bright purple berries as a valuable winter food source for birds and mammals.

Native shrubs that can provide structure for a garden include: (1) sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus); (2) sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia); (3) yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria); (4) beautyberry (Callicarpa americana). (Image credit: Madeleine Bell CC-BY-SA 2.0); Susan Strine CC BY 2.0; Scott Zona CC BY-NC 2.0 ; Cathy DeWitt CC BY 4.0)

Some non-native options that are both hardy and striking include the evergreen tea olive (Osmanthus fragrans) and false holly (Osmanthus heterophyllus), with ‘Goshiki’ as a choice cultivar. Paperbush (Edgeworthia chrysantha) is not evergreen but has delightful fragrant blooms in the winter and is an underutilized deer resistant shrub with beautiful form with or without its leaves. All three thrive in full sun to part shade. For a lower growing shrub in a sunny garden, consider the evergreen creeping rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus ‘Prostratus’) which will happily cascade over a rock or retaining wall.

If your garden is on the shadier side, try the native evergreen anise tree (Illicium floridanum) or doghobble (Leocothoe fontanesiana). Illicium can grow to 10’ but is easily kept in bounds by pruning. It also comes in numerous cultivars with a variety of flower colors and size ranges including dwarf forms. Leucothoe boasts showy, fragrant white flowers in spring.

(Left to right) Native plants that will thrive in shady gardens include anise tree (Illicium floridanum) or doghobble (Leocothoe fontanesiana).(Image credit: Cathy DeWitt CC BY-NC-ND 4.0; Suzanne_Cadwell CC BY-NC 2.0)

A non-native choice for the shadier garden might include the Japanese plum-yew (Cephalotaxus harringtonia). ‘Duke Gardens’ is a local cultivar noted for its compact shape.

Fill in the Garden with Perennials

Once you have anchored your garden design with some shrubs or small trees, it’s time to fill in with perennials. Many perennials can also provide structure and texture throughout the winter when you recognize the importance of leaving plants in the fall to provide winter habitat and food for animals. Hollow stems become nesting sites for solitary bees, and dried seed heads provide food for birds.

Choose Keystone Species

Significant deer pressure does narrow the palette but there are still many good plant options. A good place to start is to consider keystone species–plants that support the highest diversity and number of caterpillars. Goldenrods (Solidago spp.) are high on this list. If your garden is small consider some of the more well-mannered species such as sweet goldenrod (Solidago odora), white goldenrod (Solidago bicolor), or slender goldenrod (Solidago erecta). Most goldenrods bloom in the fall but using several different varieties can offer a spectrum of bloom time, shape, and color throughout the fall.³

(Left to right) White goldenrod (Solidago bicolor) and New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) are two “keystone” species that should be on your list of the deer-resistant natives. Both offer colorful fall blooms to the landscape. (Image credit: Fritz Flohr Reynolds CC-BY-SA 2.0 ; Drew Avery CC BY 2.0)

Asters are also considered a keystone species. Asters may not be entirely deer resistant, especially under high deer pressure, but they tend to be so vigorous and bloom so late that deer browse is more like an early pruning and they will still often have a fine flower display in the fall. Consider incorporating aromatic aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium), New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) or blue wood aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium) to support specialized bees, caterpillars, songbirds and small mammals.

Plant Flowers with a Purpose

Flowers attract pollinators and add beauty. Many deer resistant natives are also great pollinator plants. Any of the mountain mints (Pycnanthemum spp.), will be swarming with hundreds of tiny pollinators throughout their bloom season, along with fragrant minty foliage. Blunt mountain mint (Pycnanthemum muticum) keeps evergreen through the winter, rising to several feet in the summer when it blooms. It can spread but is easy to pull up and share extra plants. Narrowleaf mountain mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium), has fine foliage and is more clumping. Hoary mountain mint (Pycnanthemum incanum) has silvery white foliage and fragrant leaves, but also likes to have some space and may be better for larger gardens. The mountain mints will tolerate partial shade.⁴

Boneset and thoroughwort (Eupatorium spp.) are underutilized native pollinator plants with excellent deer resistance. They have white flowers in summer and fall that attract bees and butterflies. Common boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) likes wet soils and will spread to form colonies. Roundleaf thoroughwort (Eupatorium rotundifolium) can tolerate both wet and dry conditions. Foxglove beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis) has showy white flowers in spring and its evergreen rosettes persist throughout the winter. An interesting and lesser-known plant that also has evergreen foliage in the winter is rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium), identifiable by its funky white ball-shaped flowers. Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) is another key pollinator plant that has excellent deer resistance due to its licorice scent.

(Left to right) Common boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum), foxglove beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis), and rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium) are striking native plants that are deer resistant and attractive to pollinators. (Image credit: Fritz Flohr Reynolds CC BY-ND 4.0; Julie Anne Workman CC BY-SA 3.0; Debbie Roos CC BY 2.0)

The beebalms (Monarda spp) seem to be less reliably deer resistant but are worth trying for their sheer flower power. Spotted beebalm (Monarda punctata) is an unusual species that seems to have somewhat higher deer resistance. It is a less aggressive spreader, and supports moths, butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and several moth larvae.

(Left to right) Eastern bluestar‘s (Amsonia tabernaemontana) pale blue star-shaped flowers are attractive to beneficial insects but not to deer. These plants also provide fall color, as pictured here with the bright yellow leaves of the Arkansas bluestar (Amsonia hubrichtii). (Image credit: leonora Enking CC-BY-SA 2.0; Jim Robbins CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

A must-have in the deer resistant native garden are the bluestars (Amsonia spp.). Eastern bluestar (Amsonia tabernaemontana) has delightful blue flowers in the spring and can grow to shrub-like sizes. Similarly Arkansas bluestar (Amsonia hubrichtii) can get quite large with fine textured foliage that turns dazzlingly yellow in the fall. Both species do well in full sun but can tolerate part shade.

Russian sage (Salvia yangii) is not native but attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds and sports showy blue flowers spring through fall. It tolerates drought and is highly deer resistant.

Add Native Grasses to Your Landscape

Don’t forget grasses (or ferns and sedges for the shady garden). Native grasses can also be excellent choices if you have full sun and deer. Pink muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris) is a well-known grass with plumes of delicate pink in the fall. Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), splitbeard bluestem (Andropogon ternarius), and others can lend a prairie-like look in a more natural garden setting. Bottlebrush grass (Elymus hystrix) is a more shade-tolerant grass with a seed head that looks just like a bottle brush. These grass species stay beautiful throughout the winter and support butterfly and moth larvae.

(Left to right) Many grasses are both native and deer resistant. For sunny areas choose muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris) or little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) are good choices. For shady areas consider bottlebrush grass (Elymus hystrix). (Image credit: Jim Robbins CC BY-NC-ND 4.0); Hope Duckworth CC BY 4.0)

Ferns also tend to be deer resistant and are more shade tolerant, with many native and non-native varieties to choose from. Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) is an evergreen native fern that will slowly spread and naturalize. Southern shield fern (Thelypteris kunthii) is a deciduous native but tolerates a wide variety of conditions and will naturalize to form large colonies. Ostrich fern (Onoclea struthiopteris) has a more formal vase shape and will also spread readily in favorable conditions. The evergreen native Cherokee sedge (Carex cherokeensis) tolerates wet soils, shade, and deer.

The North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox provides full descriptions and excellent pictures for all of these plants and many more. Use the information in the Toolbox to select plants that match your site conditions – sun, part sun, shade, wet, dry, etc. Knowing size, bloom time and other attributes of each plant will help you to design your own native garden that will grow and prosper even in the presence of hungry deer.

Design Diagrams for Deer-resistant Gardens

Some simple garden designs that you can start with are shown below. When you have created your plant list, start your shopping at the Friends of Durham County Master Gardener Plant Sale on Saturday, April 5, 2025, from 10am until sold out, at 721 Foster Street in Durham.

Sun-Loving Garden Design

Garden design by Deborah Pilkington. (Left to right) (1) Amsonia hubrichtii (Cathy Dewitt CC BY 4.0); (2) Agastache foeniculum (Magnus Manske CC BY-SA3.0); (3) Eryngium yuccifolium (Joshua Mayer CC BY-SA 4.0); (4) Allium cernuum (Judy Gallagher CC BY 2.0).

Shade-Tolerant Garden Design

Garden design by Deborah Pilkington. (Left to right) (1) Illicium parviflorum ‘Florida Sunshine’ (Tony Avent of Plant Delights Nursery); (2) Solidago odora (CC0); (3) Symphyotrichum cordifolium (Dan Mullen CC BY-NC-ND 2.0); (4) Cherokee sedge Carex cherokeensis (K. AndreCC BY 2.0).

Look for the following plants at the April 5th Master Gardener Plant Sale. Some will also be included in the plant giveaway at the March 22nd Plant Festival. Note that quantities of some plants are limited. A complete list of all plants that will be available at the sale can be found on the backyardtreasuresplantsale.org website after March 15th.

Agastache foeniculum

Amsonia spp.

Callicarpa americana

Carex cherokeensis

Edgeworthia chrysantha

Elymus hystrix

Eryngium yuccifolium

Eupatorium spp.

Ferns, native and non-native

Grasses, native

Illicium floridanum

Monarda spp.

Osmanthus spp.

Penstemon digitalis

Pycnanthemum spp.

Salvia yangii

Solidago spp.

Symphyotrichum spp.

Notes

1–Nonnative plants reduce population growth of an insectivorous bird.

2–Take a deeper dive on the native shrub the yaupon holly.

3–A previous blog post gives an excellent review on the care and planting of different varieties of goldenrod.

Resources and Additional Information

Residential yard management and landscape cover affect urban bird community diversity across the continental USA https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/eap.2455

Article Short Link: https://wp.me/p2nIr1-5HN

By Melinda Heigel, NC State Extension Master Gardener^SMvolunteer of Durham County

(Left) The big, bold leaves of ‘Red Giant‘ mustard take center stage in this large container providing texture, height, volume, and intense color. This mustard was fast growing, survived cold temperatures with minimal protection. It was also slow to bolt when the weather got warm in the spring. (Middle and right) The ‘Miz America’ mizuna-mustard hybrid was equally stunning in a built-in planter box and potted alongside pansies, violas, and a lemon cypress, (Hesperocyparis macrocarpa ‘Goldcrest’ ). While these head turners are edible, I planted them for their color and form. (Image credit: Melinda Heigel)¹

Wait? I thought this was a blog about gardening, not cooking! Well, the mustard I am referring to isn’t the zippy condiment we all know but is the plant I discovered is a star in fall containers. I’ve written in the past about the herb bloody dock, also known as sorrel, and what a bullet-proof companion it is for pansies, violas, snapdragons, ornamental kale, cabbage, and other autumn-to-spring plants. Last year I tried adding mustard to my potted arrangements and was thrilled with the results.

A Question of Hardiness

Along with broccoli, collards, and kale, mustard is a cole crop that performs best in consistently cool temperatures when grown in the vegetable garden. But over the last couple of years I’ve started seeing different mustard plants at the local nurseries more and more alongside the annual cold-weather ornamentals. The mustard plants offered some really interesting leafy forms for planting in pots. I was dubious, though, about their hardiness over the winter, unprotected in containers, but what is gardening without experimentation? With the exception of a couple nights with temps in the teens in the dead of winter, I did not cover any mustard plants. To my surprise, they performed just as well as their cool-weather container companions.

(Left to right) Mustard plants already making a debut at the local nursery this month alongside fall’s usual suspects. In late spring of 2024, my ‘Miz America’ mustard plants produced bright yellow flowers when they bolted. The plants really earned their keep–providing interesting leaves for months followed by these showy late-spring blooms. And did I mention spring pollinators were drawn to their nectar and pollen? (Image credit: Melinda Heigel)

If the spring weather warmed up too quickly, as it is known to do in central NC, I also wondered whether these cool-temp lovers would bolt (flower) and fade too quickly given their prominent placements. Most of the containers were in the hottest place around our house–on a dark-colored deck that receives full sun. Happily, the mustard tolerated a good number of hot days in late April and early May before bolting. Even after flowering, they were still going strong when I removed them to make way for summer plants. While I may have just the right conditions in my landscape for these results, I can’t chalk this success up to anything remarkable. Mustard plants are easy to grow. And I’ve come to find out, one of the types I planted is actually bred to be bolt resistant, ensuring longevity.

Mustard Varieties for Annual Container Gardening

Red Giant Mustard (Brassica juncea ‘Red Giant’)

I found this to be a striking specimen. In my big container, it quickly grew to be over 3 feet tall, with gracefully arching leaves that reminded me of a classical acanthus—yes, you really can wax poetic about mustard. If grown in optimum conditions, this plant has been reported to grow as large as 4 feet. Though I have not experienced this, don’t underestimate its vigor. When planning your mixed pot, give it plenty of room. ‘Big Giant’ mustard leaves start off green but mature into a deep maroon with contrasting green stems, midribs, and leaf veins. This plant is specifically bred to be both cold-and-bolt tolerant. Frost intensifies the color. It grows best in full sun with well-drained soil. It paired nicely with the flowering cushion spurge ‘Ascot Rainbow’ (Euphorbia x martinii ‘Ascot Rainbow’) as a backdrop.

In terms of its characteristics as an edible, this mustard has a bold taste like wasabi or horseradish and can be pickled, eaten cooked (mature leaves), and eaten raw (young leaves). Hot weather sharpens the flavor, especially in the older leaves of the plant.

Image credit: Melinda Heigel

Miz America Hybrid (Brassica juncea ‘Miz America’)

At once striking and delicate, the deeply lobed and serrated leaves of this mustard are a showy deep burgundy with vibrant hot-pink midribs and venation. Like ‘Red Giant,’ it is a fast grower and prefers full sun. It serves as an excellent filler in containers, given its upright and compact habit.

From a culinary perspective, ‘Miz America’ has a mild peppery flavor. It’s a hybrid plant that comes from crossing two distinct mustard varieties. One of the parents, mizuna, is a mild green mustard, which gives ‘Miz America’ its beautiful serrated edges and mild flavor. You can enjoy the leaves of all mustards in a salad by picking them young—under 6 inches. If picked at a more mature size, they can be added to a dish to impart a hint of sweetness with a mustard tang. Consider adding them to a bowl of hot, creamy soup such as butternut squash or tomato. Not only does it give you additional nutritional value without adding additional calories, but it adds a nice crunch and a bit of zing.

I’ve yet to replant my containers and built-in planter box this fall, but you’d better bet that mustard plants will be making a repeat performance in 2024. I’ve already seen ‘Red Giant’ in the nurseries, but I am also on the hunt for some other intriguing mustards to test out—namely ‘Brazen Brass’ and ‘Dragon Tongue.’ If you want something unusual, showy, and even tasty in your fall plantings, remember to go heavy on the mustard.

Notes

1–Want a closer look at a photo? Simply double click on the image for a better view.

2–According to Missouri Botanical Garden, Brassica juncea, known by its common names Chinese mustard or brown mustard, is listed as a noxious weed in some states including Michigan, Florida, and Alaska and considered invasive. Cultivars discussed here are bred to be used as annual edibles or ornamentals in gardens.