Best plant for living fence that allows deer to pass through - Ask Extension
Instead of a regular fence, I'd like to plant a living fence surrounding my 3.5 acre property.
I know just about anything will let smaller wild ani...
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Best plant for living fence that allows deer to pass through #924839
Asked February 20, 2026, 2:45 PM EST
Instead of a regular fence, I'd like to plant a living fence surrounding my 3.5 acre property.
I know just about anything will let smaller wild animals pass through easily. But I'd like to also allow the free movement of deer.
As to why I'd like a fence, as they say, good fences make good neighbors.
St. Mary's County Maryland
Expert Response
Fortunately in this case (since deer are often considered a garden pest as their browsing can severely damage plants) deer will move just about anywhere they want to as they roam. They do tend to avoid jumping over obstacles where they cannot see where they will land (especially on an incline), and they also cannot clear a barrier that is either too tall (over 8 feet tall) or too wide (where they can't land and jump again between a double row of shorter fences spaced several feet apart, for example).
What may be more challenging is finding a plant (or several species of plant for a mixed hedge) that they will not weaken or kill by browsing. Deer avoid eating several species of non-native invasive plants often used as hedging and in landscaping, but given the ecological threat those species pose (and the fact that the state agriculture department has increased the regulation of invasive plants, banning several from sale), we do not recommend using that approach. Using native plants would be ideal, particularly if they are prone to seeding around (and so the plants can better support other wildlife at the same time), but unfortunately deer enjoy eating many of them, and some of them that aren't routinely eaten are not practical for use in hedging due to a slow growth rate, not tolerating regular pruning, or not maturing at a suitable size. Some non-invasive non-native plants might work, but any hedge is best planted with several species to avoid problems with a pest or disease outbreak that could impact large portions of the planting if it were to occur.
It's hard to recommend some candidates without having more information, such as how much direct summer sun the planting site would receive, how well the soil drains (does it skew dry, wet, or have average drainage?), and what size you'd like the plants to get (without relying on pruning). As long as the plants aren't crowded too closely together (a concern that also impacts their long-term health and effectiveness as a visual barrier of sorts), the deer should be able to push their way through them, or under any high branches if the base of the plants is naturally their narrowest point (often the case, particularly if the plants are being shaded by each other or nearby trees).
If we assume the area is sunny in summer and gets decent drainage, here are a few shrub species ideas to get you started. Botanical names are in parentheses. There are several cultivars of many of these plants, which can give you some flexibility for what size they mature (be aware that shorter varieties tend to be slower growing overall). We'll include several deciduous plants, since Maryland has few native evergreens and you didn't mention evergreen being an aesthetic requirement. Some of these species might sucker (gradually spread into wider clumps or patches from new stems arising from the root system), in which case you could trim excess suckers on any side of the plant you don't want it spreading.
Miri
What may be more challenging is finding a plant (or several species of plant for a mixed hedge) that they will not weaken or kill by browsing. Deer avoid eating several species of non-native invasive plants often used as hedging and in landscaping, but given the ecological threat those species pose (and the fact that the state agriculture department has increased the regulation of invasive plants, banning several from sale), we do not recommend using that approach. Using native plants would be ideal, particularly if they are prone to seeding around (and so the plants can better support other wildlife at the same time), but unfortunately deer enjoy eating many of them, and some of them that aren't routinely eaten are not practical for use in hedging due to a slow growth rate, not tolerating regular pruning, or not maturing at a suitable size. Some non-invasive non-native plants might work, but any hedge is best planted with several species to avoid problems with a pest or disease outbreak that could impact large portions of the planting if it were to occur.
It's hard to recommend some candidates without having more information, such as how much direct summer sun the planting site would receive, how well the soil drains (does it skew dry, wet, or have average drainage?), and what size you'd like the plants to get (without relying on pruning). As long as the plants aren't crowded too closely together (a concern that also impacts their long-term health and effectiveness as a visual barrier of sorts), the deer should be able to push their way through them, or under any high branches if the base of the plants is naturally their narrowest point (often the case, particularly if the plants are being shaded by each other or nearby trees).
If we assume the area is sunny in summer and gets decent drainage, here are a few shrub species ideas to get you started. Botanical names are in parentheses. There are several cultivars of many of these plants, which can give you some flexibility for what size they mature (be aware that shorter varieties tend to be slower growing overall). We'll include several deciduous plants, since Maryland has few native evergreens and you didn't mention evergreen being an aesthetic requirement. Some of these species might sucker (gradually spread into wider clumps or patches from new stems arising from the root system), in which case you could trim excess suckers on any side of the plant you don't want it spreading.
- Inkberry Holly (Ilex glabra)
- Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata)
- Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia), for areas that don't get too dry
- Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica)
- Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus virginiana), at least cultivars that are compact shrubs instead of tall trees; one example is cultivar 'Gray Owl'
- Bayberry/Waxmyrtle (Myrica, sometimes renamed Morella; our two main local species are M. pensylvanica and M. cerifera)
- Devil's Walkingstick (Aralia spinosa)
- Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) or Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa)
- Blackhaw Viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium)
- Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)
Miri
