Golden Alexanders
Zizia aurea
Deer tend to walk past coarse, bitter foliage — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 1.5–2.5 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Illinois · Zones 5–7
Deer-Resistant Native Plants in Illinois
Native plants deer tend to walk past — the aromatic, fuzzy, and bitter-leaved species that survive where browsing is heavy. For Illinois, the right natives are shaped by Central Tallgrass Prairie and a humid continental climate. Every species below, from Golden Alexanders and Pasque Flower to the rest of the list, is genuinely native to Illinois and the wider flora of the Midwest and hardy through zones 5–7. 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
47 native species for Illinois
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 5–7 · see this collection in other states.
Pasque Flower
Pulsatilla patens
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of tough, unpalatable leaves.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 6–12 in
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Aromatic Aster
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
Leaves deer find unappealing keep the deer off, 1.5–2.5 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Nov
Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
Deer tend to walk past leaves deer find unappealing — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 2–4 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
Aromatic foliage keeps the deer off, 2–4 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Showy Goldenrod
Solidago speciosa
Leaves deer find unappealing keep the deer off, 2–4 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Wild Geranium
Geranium maculatum
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of coarse, bitter foliage.
- Part shade
- Average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Dense Blazing Star
Liatris spicata
Deer tend to walk past tough, unpalatable leaves — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 2–4 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Virginia Bluebells
Mertensia virginica
Coarse, bitter foliage keeps the deer off, 1–2 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Foxglove Beardtongue
Penstemon digitalis
Leaves deer find unappealing keep the deer off, 2–4 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Great Blue Lobelia
Lobelia siphilitica
Tough, unpalatable leaves keep the deer off, 2–3 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Aug–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
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
Chocolate Flower
Berlandiera lyrata
Aromatic foliage keeps the deer off, 1–2 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms May–Sep
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of coarse, bitter foliage.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
Browse-resistant thanks to coarse, bitter foliage — a safe bet up to 1.5–3 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Blanketflower
Gaillardia aristata
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of tough, unpalatable leaves.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Short-Toothed Mountain Mint
Pycnanthemum muticum
Browse-resistant thanks to the strong-smelling foliage — a safe bet up to 2–3 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Prairie Blazing Star
Liatris pycnostachya
Leaves deer find unappealing keep the deer off, 3–5 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Wild Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
Browse-resistant thanks to tough, unpalatable leaves — a safe bet up to 1–2.5 ft tall.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
Coarse, bitter foliage keeps the deer off, 1.5–2 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Prairie Smoke
Geum triflorum
Browse-resistant thanks to leaves deer find unappealing — a safe bet up to 6–16 in tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 6–16 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Anise Hyssop
Agastache foeniculum
Browse-resistant thanks to the strong-smelling foliage — a safe bet up to 2–4 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
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
23 more also qualify: Sideoats Grama, Spicebush, New Jersey Tea, Blue Grama, Wild Ginger, Virginia Creeper, Purple Prairie Clover, Stiff Goldenrod, Creeping Phlox, Rattlesnake Master, Bearberry, Ninebark, Compass Plant, Wild Lupine, Fragrant Sumac, Christmas Fern, Pennsylvania Sedge, Cinnamon Fern, Little Bluestem, Switchgrass, Indian Grass, Prairie Dropseed, Big Bluestem.
Sourcing
Where to find these in Illinois
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.