7 Best Deer Resistant Ground Cover For Erosion Control Old Farmers Trust
Control erosion on slopes with 7 deer-resistant ground covers. Learn about the hardy, time-tested plants farmers trust to anchor soil and protect land.
You’ve spent the weekend spreading mulch on that troublesome hillside, only to watch a heavy downpour wash half of it into your lawn. A week later, you see a doe and her fawns casually nibbling the new hostas you planted to hold the soil. This cycle of wasted work and money is a familiar frustration, but solving erosion and deterring deer don’t have to be separate battles.
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Why Deer-Proof Erosion Control Matters
Losing soil to erosion isn’t just a neatness problem. You’re losing your most valuable asset: topsoil. That’s the living, nutrient-rich layer that everything on your property depends on.
When a slope is bare, rain carries that topsoil away, silting up drainage ditches and smothering the grass below. Over time, this can destabilize the ground around foundations, fences, and walkways. It’s a slow-motion disaster.
Now, add deer to the equation. A newly planted slope is a salad bar for them. They can wipe out hundreds of dollars in plants overnight, setting your erosion control efforts back to zero. Choosing a plant that deer actively dislike isn’t just a preference; it’s a fundamental requirement for success. The right ground cover solves both problems with a single, long-term investment.
Juniperus ‘Blue Rug’ for Tough Sun-Baked Slopes
Some spots just bake in the sun all day. These are the slopes where grass gives up and weeds take over, leaving the soil exposed and vulnerable. This is where ‘Blue Rug’ Juniper (Juniperus horizontalis ‘Wiltonii’) truly shines.
This isn’t a tall, bushy juniper. It’s a prostrate variety that grows only a few inches high but spreads wide, forming a dense, silvery-blue mat. Its tough, woody stems and deep root system are like rebar for your soil, locking it in place against wind and rain. Once established, it’s incredibly drought-tolerant and requires virtually no maintenance.
Deer despise the sharp, prickly texture and the strong resinous scent of juniper. They will walk right past it to find something more palatable. While it can be slow to establish, its permanence is the reward. This is a plant-it-once solution for the most difficult, sun-exposed hillsides.
Creeping Phlox for a Tough, Flowering Carpet
Don’t let the spectacular spring flower show fool you. Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata) is a workhorse disguised as an ornamental. It forms a dense, semi-evergreen mat of foliage that is surprisingly effective at holding soil on sunny, well-drained slopes.
Its fine, fibrous root system creates a thick web just below the surface, preventing that initial sheet erosion from heavy rainfall. It thrives in the kind of poor, gravelly soil often found on hillsides where richer soil has already washed away. The plant’s ability to choke out weeds also means less competition and a more stable soil surface over time.
While no plant is completely deer-proof, deer tend to leave creeping phlox alone. The slightly fuzzy texture and modest fragrance of the foliage make it an unappealing choice. It’s the perfect option when you need serious function but still want a burst of seasonal beauty.
Pachysandra terminalis for Deep Shade Control
Every property has that one spot—under a dense grove of pines or on the north side of the house—where grass is a distant memory. This is Pachysandra’s territory. This evergreen ground cover spreads by underground rhizomes to create a thick, uniform carpet where nothing else will grow.
That dense network of rhizomes and roots is precisely what makes it a premier choice for controlling erosion in the shade. It creates a living blanket that holds soil in place, even on steep, shaded banks. It excels at preventing the "drip-line" erosion that occurs under large trees, where falling rain concentrates and scours the ground.
Pachysandra is famously deer resistant. They simply will not eat it. The biggest consideration is its vigor; this plant is a problem-solver, but it will spread indefinitely if not contained by a sidewalk, driveway, or annual edging. Give it a defined space to fill, and it will do its job for decades.
Vinca Minor: The Indestructible Shade Solution
Often called Periwinkle, Vinca minor is another classic tool for tackling erosion in shady or partially shaded areas. Its long, trailing stems root wherever they touch the ground. This unique growth habit essentially pins the topsoil down across a wide area, making it incredibly effective on loose, difficult slopes.
Vinca is exceptionally tough. It tolerates a wide range of soil types, withstands periods of drought once established, and its glossy, evergreen leaves provide year-round soil protection. The cheerful blue or white flowers in spring are just a bonus to its utilitarian nature.
Like Pachysandra, Vinca is highly resistant to deer browsing. Its real-world tradeoff is its aggressive nature. It can easily overwhelm less vigorous neighbors and requires firm boundaries. Think of it as a living tool: perfect for a tough, contained area where you need a fast, permanent, and deer-proof solution.
Creeping Thyme: Aromatic Deer Deterrent
For a sunny spot where you want a low-profile, fragrant, and walkable solution, look no further than Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum). This tough little herb forms a dense, mat-like ground cover that is surprisingly effective at binding loose, sandy, or gravelly soils.
Its dense root system is ideal for gentle slopes, rock gardens, or areas between pavers where washout is a problem. It’s extremely drought-tolerant and thrives on neglect, making it a perfect low-maintenance choice. As it fills in, it leaves no room for weeds or exposed soil.
The key to its success in deer country is its aroma. Deer are strongly repelled by plants with high concentrations of aromatic oils, and thyme is at the top of that list. The scent that we find pleasant is a powerful deterrent for them. It’s a fantastic choice for sunny areas where you need erosion control that smells great and keeps the deer moving along.
Sweet Woodruff for Fast-Spreading Shade Cover
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When you need to cover bare ground in a moist, shady area quickly, Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum) is an old-timer’s favorite. Its delicate, whorled leaves and tiny white spring flowers create a lush, fine-textured carpet. It spreads rapidly via shallow rhizomes to fill in an area, effectively suppressing weeds and preventing soil from splashing away in heavy rain.
This plant is a specialist for those damp, shady spots where other ground covers might rot. It’s perfect for the base of a wooded slope or an area near a downspout. Its root system, while not as deep as juniper’s, forms a dense surface mat that holds everything together.
Deer consistently avoid Sweet Woodruff due to its unique, hay-like fragrance when dried or crushed. The main consideration is that it is a herbaceous perennial, meaning it dies back to the ground in winter in colder climates. The root system remains to do its job, but you lose the leafy surface protection until it re-emerges in spring.
Epimedium: The Ultimate Dry Shade Performer
The area under a mature maple or oak tree is one of the toughest planting challenges there is. It’s dark, and the tree’s massive root system sucks all the moisture from the soil. This is where Epimedium, or Barrenwort, proves its worth as an elite, problem-solving ground cover.
Though slow to start, Epimedium eventually forms dense, impenetrable colonies via tough, wiry rhizomes. These roots are incredibly effective at competing with tree roots and locking down dry, dusty soil. The heart-shaped leaves are leathery and semi-evergreen, providing excellent, year-round coverage once the clump is established.
Most importantly, Epimedium is virtually deer-proof. They find the foliage completely unpalatable. While it’s a more expensive and slower-growing option upfront, it is a truly permanent solution. For that impossible dry-shade slope where everything else has failed, Epimedium is the investment that pays off.
Choosing the right ground cover is a strategic farm decision, not just a landscaping one. By matching the plant to the specific conditions of your slope—sun or shade, wet or dry—you can install a living, self-maintaining system that protects your soil and ignores the deer. One smart choice solves two persistent problems, letting you focus your time and energy on other projects.
