Organic gardening incorporates many things. It relies on no pesticides or other chemicals in the gardening process, composting and mulching to achieve the best crops possible without chemical fertilizer and can include native plants with some resistance to threats like deer. Organic gardening plants should be easy to grow and hardy.
Bigtooth Maple
The bigtooth maple tree, Acer grandidentatum, is native to the United States and is deer resistant. It grows to 15 feet tall with deciduous green leaves that turn gold and red in the fall. Flowers are small clusters of yellow and green and not very showy. Bigtooth maple grows in sunny spots with moist soil. Propagate by seed.
Blackbrush
The blackbrush, or Acacia rigidula, is a perennial shrub that is native to the United States. It is deer resistant and grows up to 15 feet high. Fragrant yellow flowers are on stiff branches with semi-evergreen dark green leaves. Blackbrush prefers partial shade and dry soils. It is cold tolerant, slow to grow and produces many suckering plants. Propagate by seed.
Indigo Bush
The indigo bush, or Amorpha fruticosa, is a perennial shrub that is deer resistant. It is another that is native to the United States. Leaves are finely textured and only on the top third of the plant. Flowers have yellow stamens and dark blue, orange or purple blooms. It grows in a loose style up to 10 feet in height. Indigo bush prefers to grow in sun or partial shade with a moist soil. The indigo bush is cold tolerant and pH adaptable. Propagate by seed or by cuttings.
Hummingbird Bush
The hummingbird bush, or Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii, is a perennial shrub that is native to the United States and deer resistant. It grows up to 5 feet high with green foliage and red or orange tubular flowers that bloom summer to fall. The bushes have leaves that are deciduous. It should be planted in sun or partial shade with any soil type as long as it is well-drained. The hummingbird bush is quite cold and drought-tolerant. Propagate by seed or cuttings, with cuttings being the easier method. It attracts butterflies and hummingbirds to the landscape.
