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
Virginia · Zones 6–8
Deer-Resistant Native Plants in Virginia
Native plants deer tend to walk past — the aromatic, fuzzy, and bitter-leaved species that survive where browsing is heavy. Virginia sits in a landscape of Blue Ridge, Piedmont & Tidewater, and the natives that thrive here are the ones built for its humid, four-season character. The list below — led by Butterfly Weed and American Beautyberry — is filtered to species genuinely native to Virginia and the wider flora of the Mid-Atlantic and hardy through zones 6–8. 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
41 native species for Virginia
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 6–8 · see this collection in other states.
American Beautyberry
Callicarpa americana
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of tough, unpalatable leaves.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 4–7 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Showy Goldenrod
Solidago speciosa
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 Sep–Oct
Wild Bleeding Heart
Dicentra eximia
Coarse, bitter foliage keeps the deer off, 12–18 in tall and rarely touched.
- Part shade
- Average
- 12–18 in
- Blooms Apr–Aug
Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
The strong-smelling foliage keeps the deer off, 2–4 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Wild Geranium
Geranium maculatum
Coarse, bitter foliage keeps the deer off, 1.5–2 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Part shade
- Average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
Browse-resistant thanks to tough, unpalatable leaves — a safe bet up to 1.5–2 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
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
Dense Blazing Star
Liatris spicata
Deer tend to walk past leaves deer find unappealing — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 2–4 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Short-Toothed Mountain Mint
Pycnanthemum muticum
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of the strong-smelling foliage.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Culver's Root
Veronicastrum virginicum
Browse-resistant thanks to leaves deer find unappealing — a safe bet up to 3–5 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
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
Turk's Cap
Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of coarse, bitter foliage.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 2–5 ft
- Blooms May–Oct
Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of leaves deer find unappealing.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Foamflower
Tiarella cordifolia
Deer tend to walk past coarse, bitter foliage — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 6–12 in tall.
- Part shade
- Average
- 6–12 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Golden Alexanders
Zizia aurea
Deer tend to walk past leaves deer find unappealing — 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
Aromatic Aster
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
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 Sep–Nov
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
Deer tend to walk past leaves deer find unappealing — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 1.5–3 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms May–Aug
Foxglove Beardtongue
Penstemon digitalis
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of tough, unpalatable leaves.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
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
Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
Deer tend to walk past tough, unpalatable leaves — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 1.5–3 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Prairie Blazing Star
Liatris pycnostachya
Coarse, bitter foliage keeps the deer off, 3–5 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Pink Muhly Grass
Muhlenbergia capillaris
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of tough, unpalatable leaves.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Wild Lupine
Lupinus perennis
Browse-resistant thanks to tough, unpalatable leaves — a safe bet up to 1–2 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
17 more also qualify: Ninebark, Rattlesnake Master, Creeping Phlox, Wild Ginger, Spicebush, Fragrant Sumac, Virginia Creeper, Stiff Goldenrod, New Jersey Tea, Christmas Fern, Pennsylvania Sedge, Switchgrass, Cinnamon Fern, Little Bluestem, Prairie Dropseed, Big Bluestem, Indian Grass.
Sourcing
Where to find these in Virginia
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.