Great Blue Lobelia
Lobelia siphilitica
Browse-resistant thanks to coarse, bitter foliage — a safe bet up to 2–3 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Wisconsin · Zones 3–5
Deer-Resistant Native Plants in Wisconsin
Native plants deer tend to walk past — the aromatic, fuzzy, and bitter-leaved species that survive where browsing is heavy. For Wisconsin, the right natives are shaped by Northern forest, driftless prairie & oak savanna and a cold continental climate. Every species below, from Great Blue Lobelia and Golden Alexanders to the rest of the list, is genuinely native to Wisconsin and the wider flora of the Midwest and hardy through zones 3–5. 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
44 native species for Wisconsin
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 3–5 · see this collection in other states.
Golden Alexanders
Zizia aurea
Deer tend to walk past tough, unpalatable leaves — 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
Virginia Bluebells
Mertensia virginica
Leaves deer find unappealing keep the deer off, 1–2 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Showy Goldenrod
Solidago speciosa
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of leaves deer find unappealing.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Dense Blazing Star
Liatris spicata
Deer tend to walk past coarse, bitter foliage — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 2–4 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Aromatic Aster
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
Deer tend to walk past tough, unpalatable leaves — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 1.5–2.5 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Nov
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
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
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
Culver's Root
Veronicastrum virginicum
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of leaves deer find unappealing.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
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–Aug
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of tough, unpalatable leaves.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
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
Anise Hyssop
Agastache foeniculum
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–Sep
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
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of coarse, bitter foliage.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Short-Toothed Mountain Mint
Pycnanthemum muticum
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of aromatic foliage.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Foamflower
Tiarella cordifolia
Browse-resistant thanks to coarse, bitter foliage — a safe bet up to 6–12 in tall.
- Part shade
- Average
- 6–12 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Pasque Flower
Pulsatilla patens
Browse-resistant thanks to coarse, bitter foliage — a safe bet up to 6–12 in tall.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 6–12 in
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Prairie Blazing Star
Liatris pycnostachya
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of tough, unpalatable leaves.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Wild Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of leaves deer find unappealing.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2.5 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
Bearberry
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Coarse, bitter foliage keeps the deer off, 4–8 in tall and rarely touched.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 4–8 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Spicebush
Lindera benzoin
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of the strong-smelling foliage.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 6–12 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
20 more also qualify: Creeping Phlox, Purple Prairie Clover, Virginia Creeper, Wild Lupine, Compass Plant, New Jersey Tea, Sideoats Grama, Rattlesnake Master, Wild Ginger, Stiff Goldenrod, Fragrant Sumac, Ninebark, Cinnamon Fern, Little Bluestem, Christmas Fern, Indian Grass, Pennsylvania Sedge, Switchgrass, Big Bluestem, Prairie Dropseed.
Sourcing
Where to find these in Wisconsin
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.