Turk's Cap
Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii
Browse-resistant thanks to coarse, bitter foliage — a safe bet up to 2–5 ft tall.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 2–5 ft
- Blooms May–Oct
Georgia · Zones 6–9
Deer-Resistant Native Plants in Georgia
Native plants deer tend to walk past — the aromatic, fuzzy, and bitter-leaved species that survive where browsing is heavy. Every species here is genuinely native to Georgia and the wider flora of the Southeast and hardy through zones 6–9 — proven performers for Georgia's humid subtropical climate across Piedmont, Blue Ridge & Coastal Plain, not a generic list. Local standouts include Turk's Cap and Great Blue Lobelia. 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
40 native species for Georgia
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 6–9 · see this collection in other states.
Great Blue Lobelia
Lobelia siphilitica
Deer tend to walk past leaves deer find unappealing — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 2–3 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
Browse-resistant thanks to coarse, bitter foliage — a safe bet up to 1.5–2 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Culver's Root
Veronicastrum virginicum
Browse-resistant thanks to coarse, bitter foliage — a safe bet up to 3–5 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Dense Blazing Star
Liatris spicata
Browse-resistant thanks to leaves deer find unappealing — a safe bet up to 2–4 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Prairie Blazing Star
Liatris pycnostachya
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of leaves deer find unappealing.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
Browse-resistant thanks to tough, unpalatable leaves — a safe bet up to 1.5–2.5 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Wild Bleeding Heart
Dicentra eximia
Browse-resistant thanks to tough, unpalatable leaves — a safe bet up to 12–18 in tall.
- Part shade
- Average
- 12–18 in
- Blooms Apr–Aug
Pink Muhly Grass
Muhlenbergia capillaris
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of leaves deer find unappealing.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
American Beautyberry
Callicarpa americana
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of leaves deer find unappealing.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 4–7 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Showy Goldenrod
Solidago speciosa
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of coarse, bitter foliage.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Wild Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
Deer tend to walk past coarse, bitter foliage — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 1–2.5 ft tall.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Virginia Bluebells
Mertensia virginica
Tough, unpalatable leaves keep the deer off, 1–2 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
Browse-resistant thanks to leaves deer find unappealing — a safe bet up to 1.5–3 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Golden Alexanders
Zizia aurea
Leaves deer find unappealing keep the deer off, 1.5–2.5 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
Deer tend to walk past aromatic foliage — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 2–4 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of coarse, bitter foliage.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Foamflower
Tiarella cordifolia
Coarse, bitter foliage keeps the deer off, 6–12 in tall and rarely touched.
- Part shade
- Average
- 6–12 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Short-Toothed Mountain Mint
Pycnanthemum muticum
Browse-resistant thanks to its scented leaves — a safe bet up to 2–3 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
Browse-resistant thanks to coarse, bitter foliage — a safe bet up to 1.5–3 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms May–Aug
Foxglove Beardtongue
Penstemon digitalis
Deer tend to walk past tough, unpalatable leaves — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 2–4 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Wild Geranium
Geranium maculatum
Browse-resistant thanks to tough, unpalatable leaves — a safe bet up to 1.5–2 ft tall.
- Part shade
- Average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Aromatic Aster
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
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 Sep–Nov
New Jersey Tea
Ceanothus americanus
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of leaves deer find unappealing.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–3.5 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
16 more also qualify: Spicebush, Creeping Phlox, Stiff Goldenrod, Ninebark, Fragrant Sumac, Wild Ginger, Wild Lupine, Rattlesnake Master, Virginia Creeper, Big Bluestem, Little Bluestem, Christmas Fern, Pennsylvania Sedge, Switchgrass, Indian Grass, Cinnamon Fern.
Sourcing
Where to find these in Georgia
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.