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
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- By state
- New Mexico
- Deer-resistant
New Mexico · Zones 4–8
Deer-Resistant Native Plants in New Mexico
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 New Mexico and the wider flora of the desert Southwest and hardy through zones 4–8 — proven performers for New Mexico's arid, high-elevation sun climate across Chihuahuan desert & Southern Rockies, not a generic list. Local standouts include Apache Plume and Western Columbine. 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
46 native species for New Mexico
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 4–8 · see this collection in other states.
Western Columbine
Aquilegia formosa
Browse-resistant thanks to leaves deer find unappealing — a safe bet up to 1.5–3 ft tall.
- Part shade
- Average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jul
Firecracker Penstemon
Penstemon eatonii
Tough, unpalatable leaves keep the deer off, 1.5–3 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
Deer tend to walk past coarse, bitter foliage — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 1.5–2 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Golden Alexanders
Zizia aurea
Tough, unpalatable leaves 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
Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
Browse-resistant thanks to leaves deer find unappealing — a safe bet up to 2–4 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Blanketflower
Gaillardia aristata
Deer tend to walk past leaves deer find unappealing — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 1–2.5 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
Deer tend to walk past its scented leaves — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 2–4 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Prairie Smoke
Geum triflorum
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of leaves deer find unappealing.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 6–16 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Desert Willow
Chilopsis linearis
Deer tend to walk past coarse, bitter foliage — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 15–25 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms May–Sep
Gregg's Mistflower
Conoclinium greggii
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of coarse, bitter foliage.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms May–Oct
Flame Acanthus
Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of coarse, bitter foliage.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Oct
Showy Goldenrod
Solidago speciosa
Deer tend to walk past coarse, bitter foliage — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 2–4 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Desert Marigold
Baileya multiradiata
Deer tend to walk past leaves deer find unappealing — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 12–18 in tall.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 12–18 in
- Blooms Mar–Oct
Great Blue Lobelia
Lobelia siphilitica
Coarse, bitter foliage keeps the deer off, 2–3 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
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–Aug
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
Coarse, bitter foliage keeps the deer off, 1.5–3 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms May–Aug
Foxglove Beardtongue
Penstemon digitalis
Coarse, bitter foliage keeps the deer off, 2–4 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
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
Pasque Flower
Pulsatilla patens
Deer tend to walk past tough, unpalatable leaves — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 6–12 in tall.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 6–12 in
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Dense Blazing Star
Liatris spicata
Browse-resistant thanks to coarse, bitter foliage — a safe bet up to 2–4 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Wild Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
Deer tend to walk past leaves deer find unappealing — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 1–2.5 ft tall.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Anise Hyssop
Agastache foeniculum
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–Sep
Rocky Mountain Penstemon
Penstemon strictus
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of leaves deer find unappealing.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
22 more also qualify: Black-Eyed Susan, Aromatic Aster, Prairie Blazing Star, Chocolate Flower, Culver's Root, Ninebark, Virginia Creeper, Blue Grama, New Jersey Tea, Bearberry, Rattlesnake Master, Sideoats Grama, Stiff Goldenrod, Compass Plant, Fragrant Sumac, Oregon Grape, Purple Prairie Clover, Switchgrass, Little Bluestem, Indian Grass, Big Bluestem, Prairie Dropseed.
Sourcing
Where to find these in New Mexico
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.