I live in Eldersburg, MD (Carroll County). Our yard is backed up to the woods. I would like to plant hydrangeas. Are there certain cultivars that do w...
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Most Deer Resistant Hydrangea #931017
Asked May 08, 2026, 8:41 AM EDT
I live in Eldersburg, MD (Carroll County). Our yard is backed up to the woods. I would like to plant hydrangeas. Are there certain cultivars that do well in this area and are more deer resistant than others? Below is a list of Cultivars at a nearby nursey. Are you able to provide more info into which species of hydrangea would be a good fit.
HYDRANGEA ARBORESCENS 'ABETWO'
HYDRANGEA ARBORESCENS 'NCHA1'
HYDRANGEA ARBORESCENS 'NCHA3'
HYDRANGEA ARBORESCENS 'NCHAS'
HYDRANGEA MACROPHYLLA 'BAILIPSE'
HYDRANGEA MACROPHYLLA 'BAILMACFIVE'
HYDRANGEA MACROPHYLLA 'ENDLESS SUMMER'
HYDRANGEA MACROPHYLLA 'GLOWING EMBERS'
HYDRANGEA MACROPHYLLA 'HORORB'
HYDRANGEA MACROPHYLLA 'LADY IN RED'
HYDRANGEA MACROPHYLLA 'NIKKO BLUE'
HYDRANGEA MACROPHYLLA 'PIIHM-II'
HYDRANGEA MACROPHYLLA 'SISTER THERESA'
HYDRANGEA MACROPHYLLA 'TWIST-N-SHOUT'TM
HYDRANGEA PANICULATA 'BULK' STD.
HYDRANGEA PANICULATA 'GRANDIFLORA'
HYDRANGEA PANICULATA 'ILVOBO'
HYDRANGEA PANICULATA 'INTERHYDIA'
HYDRANGEA PANICULATA 'JANE'
HYDRANGEA PANICULATA 'LIMELIGHT'
HYDRANGEA PANICULATA PINKY WINKYTM
HYDRANGEA PANICULATA 'RENHY'
HYDRANGEA PANICULATA 'SMHPFL'
HYDRANGEA PANICULATA 'SMHPLQF'
HYDRANGEA PANICULATA 'SMNHPH'
HYDRANGEA PANICULATA 'SMNHPPH'
HYDRANGEA PANICULATA 'TARDIVA'
HYDRANGEA QUERCIFOLIA 'ALICE'
HYDRANGEA QUERCIFOLIA 'MUNCHKIN'
HYDRANGEA QUERCIFOLIA 'RUBY SLIPPERS'
HYDRANGEA SERRATA 'BENI-GAKU'
HYDRANGEA SERRATA 'BLUE BILLOW'
HYDRANGEA SERRATA 'MAKA'
HYDRANGEA SERRATA 'PREZIOSA'
HYDRANGEA SERRATA 'TUFF STUFF AH HA'
HYDRANGEA X 'USHYD0405'
Carroll CountyMaryland
Expert Response
There are no reliably deer-resistant hydrangeas. Potentially, Hydrangea quercifolia (there would not be any cultivar differences) might be somewhat unappealing to them due to this species' hairy leaves, but we would not rely on that trait alone to deter deer. If your yard has high deer browsing pressure, you'd need to either protect a hydrangea with netting or periodically spray it with deer repellent.