Trichostema lanatum
Trichostema lanatum (woolly blue curls) grows to three to five feet high and four to eight feet wide. The dark green leaves are pungent when bruised. The purple flowers are fuzzy and appear in spring. The plant will continue to bloom during summer and autumn if it is deadheaded. Trichostema takes full sun and needs no supplemental water once established. It does, however, require extremely good drainage.
Fremontodendron
Fremontodendron is also known as flannel bush because the back of the leaves are fuzzy and soft. Showy yellow flowers appear in spring. This shrub takes full sun and is drought tolerant once established, requiring no irrigation at all. Its primary drawback is that it tends to be short lived, but it is fabulous while it is around!
Vitex agnus-castus
Usually grown as a shrub or small tree, Vitex (chaste tree) reaches about twelve feet tall and wide. The very attractive leaves are divided into five to seven leaflets and are a grey green. The flower spikes appear in summer and are usually purple, although white is also available. The plant is deciduous and can take the heat and cold. This is a great addition to any garden.
Photinia x fraseri
Photinia x fraseri makes a great tall hedge or screen with fast growth to ten to fifteen feet tall and wide. The new growth is bronzy red and adds some nice color to the garden.
Heteromeles arbutifolia
Heteromeles arbutifolia, or toyon, is an evergreen native shrub with thick, leathery leaves. The flat heads of white flowers in spring attract bees and the bright red berries that follow are favored by birds. Toyon usually grows as a dense shrub to six to ten feet tall and wide, but can also be trained as a small tree. It does well in sun or part shade and can tolerate drought, but looks better with moderate water.
Zauschneria (California fuchsia)
Many native California plants are deer resistant. Among them are the manzanitas, Salvias, Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium), Zauschneria (California fuchsia), Romneya (Matilija poppy), Myrica and Prunus ilicifolia and Prunus lyonii.
Lavandula stoechas
There are many types of lavender, including Lavandula stoechas (Spanish lavender) with varieties including Otto Quasti, Kew Red and Avondale, Lavandula angustifolia (English lavender) and the many hybrids such as Provence, Munstead, Hidcote and Grosso. Dutch lavender is another, a type that is extremely vigorous with profuse lavender flowers.
Berberis darwinii
Pungent herbs are generally unappetizing to the deer population, including Salvia (various types of sage), Nepeta (cat mint) and Origanum (oregano) species.
For the shade, ferns are good bets, as are Helleborous, Choisya ternata, Hosta, Liriope, Sarcoccoca, Taxus and Trachelospermum (star jasmine). There are several species of Carex (sedge) that love the shade and do not appeal to deer, although it can safely be said that most ornamental grasses tend not to be deer fodder.
Although deer are mad about roses and can easily munch on Pyracantha, the thorny genus of Berberis are not generally on their menu. Berberis ‘Purple Cloak’ is very dark purple and grows to eight feet or more. Berberis ‘Rosy Glow’ has shades of rose intermingled with the darker purples and only reaches four feet or so. ‘Crimson Pygmy’ grows two to four feet. While all these varieties sport yellow flowers, some not very showy, Berberis darwinii has golden yellow flowers and they are quite striking against the bright green leaves.
Rosemary
Rosemary has flowers in the blue shades, although there are some varieties with pink or white flowers. Bees love it and deer are loathe to touch it at all. There is a huge range in size from very low groundcover types to plants that reach six feet.
Carex divulsa
Carex divulsa (Berkeley sedge, formerly known as Carex tumulicola) is a bright, evergreen grass twelve to eighteen inches tall. It tolerates some traffic, drought, full sun and boggy conditions and is one of the best sedges for ground cover. It looks best with part shade and is hardy to ten degrees.
