Autumn Sage
Salvia greggii
Coarse, bitter foliage keeps the deer off, 2–3 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Apr–Oct
Nevada · Zones 4–9
Deer-Resistant Native Plants in Nevada
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 Nevada and the wider flora of the Great Basin and hardy through zones 4–9 — proven performers for Nevada's arid, wide day-night swings climate across Great Basin sagebrush & Mojave, not a generic list. Local standouts include Autumn Sage and Apache Plume. 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
23 native species for Nevada
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 4–9 · see this collection in other states.
Apache Plume
Fallugia paradoxa
Deer tend to walk past coarse, bitter foliage — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 3–6 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 3–6 ft
- Blooms Apr–Sep
Prairie Smoke
Geum triflorum
Leaves deer find unappealing keep the deer off, 6–16 in tall and rarely touched.
- 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
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
Leaves deer find unappealing keep the deer off, 1.5–3 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms May–Aug
California Lilac
Ceanothus thyrsiflorus
Browse-resistant thanks to leaves deer find unappealing — a safe bet up to 6–20 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 6–20 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Red-Flowering Currant
Ribes sanguineum
Browse-resistant thanks to coarse, bitter foliage — a safe bet up to 5–9 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 5–9 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Desert Willow
Chilopsis linearis
Browse-resistant thanks to coarse, bitter foliage — a safe bet up to 15–25 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms May–Sep
Gregg's Mistflower
Conoclinium greggii
Coarse, bitter foliage keeps the deer off, 1–2 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms May–Oct
Pasque Flower
Pulsatilla patens
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of coarse, bitter foliage.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 6–12 in
- Blooms Mar–Apr
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
Flame Acanthus
Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of tough, unpalatable leaves.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Oct
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
Western Columbine
Aquilegia formosa
Deer tend to walk past tough, unpalatable leaves — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 1.5–3 ft tall.
- Part shade
- Average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jul
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
Browse-resistant thanks to leaves deer find unappealing — a safe bet up to 1.5–2.5 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Bearberry
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Browse-resistant thanks to coarse, bitter foliage — a safe bet up to 4–8 in tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 4–8 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Oregon Grape
Berberis aquifolium
Coarse, bitter foliage keeps the deer off, 3–6 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 3–6 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Toyon
Heteromeles arbutifolia
Deer tend to walk past coarse, bitter foliage — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 8–15 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 8–15 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Blue Grama
Bouteloua gracilis
Coarse, bitter foliage keeps the deer off, 8–20 in tall and rarely touched.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 8–20 in
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Hairy Manzanita
Arctostaphylos columbiana
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of coarse, bitter foliage.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 3–9 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Sideoats Grama
Bouteloua curtipendula
Deer tend to walk past coarse, bitter foliage — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 1.5–2.5 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
Browse-resistant thanks to tough, unpalatable leaves — a safe bet up to 2–4 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Fall color
Sourcing
Where to find these in Nevada
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.