Desert Willow
Chilopsis linearis
Tough, unpalatable leaves keep the deer off, 15–25 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms May–Sep
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- California
- Deer-resistant
California · Zones 5–10
Deer-Resistant Native Plants in California
Native plants deer tend to walk past — the aromatic, fuzzy, and bitter-leaved species that survive where browsing is heavy. For California, the right natives are shaped by Coast Ranges, Central Valley & Sierra Nevada and a Mediterranean, summer-dry climate. Every species below, from Desert Willow and Prairie Smoke to the rest of the list, is genuinely native to California and hardy through zones 5–10. No plant is truly deer-proof when winters are hard and the herd is hungry, but deer reliably avoid aromatic foliage (mints and salvias), fuzzy or coarse leaves, and toxic or bitter sap. Lean on those traits, plant the few irresistible things close to the house, and a new bed will sail through its first season far more often than not.
The plants
22 native species for California
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 5–10 · see this collection in other states.
Prairie Smoke
Geum triflorum
Deer tend to walk past coarse, bitter foliage — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 6–16 in tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 6–16 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Desert Marigold
Baileya multiradiata
Coarse, bitter foliage keeps the deer off, 12–18 in tall and rarely touched.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 12–18 in
- Blooms Mar–Oct
Firecracker Penstemon
Penstemon eatonii
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of tough, unpalatable leaves.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Rocky Mountain Penstemon
Penstemon strictus
Deer tend to walk past leaves deer find unappealing — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 1.5–2.5 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Gregg's Mistflower
Conoclinium greggii
Browse-resistant thanks to coarse, bitter foliage — a safe bet up to 1–2 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms May–Oct
Red-Flowering Currant
Ribes sanguineum
Deer tend to walk past leaves deer find unappealing — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 5–9 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 5–9 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Western Columbine
Aquilegia formosa
Browse-resistant thanks to tough, unpalatable leaves — a safe bet up to 1.5–3 ft tall.
- Part shade
- Average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jul
Autumn Sage
Salvia greggii
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of coarse, bitter foliage.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Apr–Oct
Flame Acanthus
Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of leaves deer find unappealing.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Oct
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
Deer tend to walk past tough, unpalatable leaves — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 1.5–3 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms May–Aug
Blanketflower
Gaillardia aristata
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of coarse, bitter foliage.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
California Lilac
Ceanothus thyrsiflorus
Leaves deer find unappealing keep the deer off, 6–20 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 6–20 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Apache Plume
Fallugia paradoxa
Leaves deer find unappealing keep the deer off, 3–6 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 3–6 ft
- Blooms Apr–Sep
Chocolate Flower
Berlandiera lyrata
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of the strong-smelling foliage.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms May–Sep
Oregon Grape
Berberis aquifolium
Deer tend to walk past coarse, bitter foliage — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 3–6 ft tall.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 3–6 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Blue Grama
Bouteloua gracilis
Deer tend to walk past coarse, bitter foliage — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 8–20 in tall.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 8–20 in
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Sideoats Grama
Bouteloua curtipendula
Tough, unpalatable leaves keep the deer off, 1.5–2.5 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Hairy Manzanita
Arctostaphylos columbiana
Tough, unpalatable leaves keep the deer off, 3–9 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 3–9 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Bearberry
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of leaves deer find unappealing.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 4–8 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Toyon
Heteromeles arbutifolia
Coarse, bitter foliage keeps the deer off, 8–15 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 8–15 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
Coarse, bitter foliage keeps the deer off, 2–4 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Fall color
Sourcing
Where to find these in California
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.