Deer-Resistant Native Plants by Region

Are deer grazing your gardens? Below are cards with five native plants per region that won’t be a deer’s first choice to nibble. Remember, deer will try just about anything, but these plants have a better chance than others at being left alone.

Print out these cards or write down the plant names and take them to your local nursery or look them up on Garden for Wildlife. Try planting these unpalatable plants in clusters of three or four. Then, even if deer do sample them, there will be plenty left behind.

Regions in the United States

• Alaska
• California
• Hawaiian Islands
• Northeast
  • CT, DE, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, NJ, NH, NY, OH, PA, RI, WV, VA, VT
• Northwest
  • Parts of northern CA, ID, MT, OR, WA
• North/Central
  • IA, IL, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI
• Southwest
  • AZ, CO, NM, NV, UT
• Southeast
  • AL, GA, FL, NC, parts of MS, SC, TN
• South/Central
  • AL, AR, LA, parts of MS, OK, TX

Canadian Provinces

• Alberta
• British Columbia
• Manitoba
• New Brunswick
• New Foundland & Labrador
• Northwest Territories
• Nova Scotia
• Nunavut
• Ontario
• Prince Edward Island
• Quebec
• Saskatchewan
• Yukon

Garden for Wildlife Has Tips

We’ve worked with Garden for Wildlife from the National Wildlife Federation as they provide access to native plants around the United States by working with local nurseries.

They recently developed a good article about real-world strategies to protect your garden from deer, combining plant choices, design tactics, and physical barriers, while supporting local wildlife and ecosystems.