Pink Muhly Grass
Muhlenbergia capillaris
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of coarse, bitter foliage.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Kentucky · Zones 6–7
Deer-Resistant Native Plants in Kentucky
Native plants deer tend to walk past — the aromatic, fuzzy, and bitter-leaved species that survive where browsing is heavy. For Kentucky, the right natives are shaped by Bluegrass, Cumberland Plateau & Pennyroyal and a humid, four-season climate. Every species below, from Pink Muhly Grass and Wild Bleeding Heart to the rest of the list, is genuinely native to Kentucky and the wider flora of the Southeast and hardy through zones 6–7. 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
48 native species for Kentucky
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 6–7 · see this collection in other states.
Wild Bleeding Heart
Dicentra eximia
Browse-resistant thanks to tough, unpalatable leaves — a safe bet up to 12–18 in tall.
- Part shade
- Average
- 12–18 in
- Blooms Apr–Aug
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of leaves deer find unappealing.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
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
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
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
Foxglove Beardtongue
Penstemon digitalis
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of coarse, bitter foliage.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Wild Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
Browse-resistant thanks to leaves deer find unappealing — a safe bet up to 1–2.5 ft tall.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Golden Alexanders
Zizia aurea
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of coarse, bitter foliage.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Culver's Root
Veronicastrum virginicum
Tough, unpalatable leaves keep the deer off, 3–5 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
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
Short-Toothed Mountain Mint
Pycnanthemum muticum
Deer tend to walk past the strong-smelling foliage — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 2–3 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Anise Hyssop
Agastache foeniculum
Aromatic foliage keeps the deer off, 2–4 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Dense Blazing Star
Liatris spicata
Tough, unpalatable leaves keep the deer off, 2–4 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Aromatic Aster
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of leaves deer find unappealing.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Nov
Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
Its scented leaves keep the deer off, 2–4 ft tall and rarely touched.
- 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
Great Blue Lobelia
Lobelia siphilitica
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of tough, unpalatable leaves.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Prairie Blazing Star
Liatris pycnostachya
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of coarse, bitter foliage.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Turk's Cap
Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii
Browse-resistant thanks to coarse, bitter foliage — a safe bet up to 2–5 ft tall.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 2–5 ft
- Blooms May–Oct
American Beautyberry
Callicarpa americana
Deer tend to walk past leaves deer find unappealing — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 4–7 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 4–7 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Foamflower
Tiarella cordifolia
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of tough, unpalatable leaves.
- Part shade
- Average
- 6–12 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Wild Geranium
Geranium maculatum
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of leaves deer find unappealing.
- Part shade
- Average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
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
24 more also qualify: Showy Goldenrod, Virginia Bluebells, Stiff Goldenrod, Rattlesnake Master, Bearberry, Fragrant Sumac, Sideoats Grama, Purple Prairie Clover, Wild Ginger, Virginia Creeper, Wild Lupine, Ninebark, New Jersey Tea, Compass Plant, Creeping Phlox, Spicebush, Christmas Fern, Pennsylvania Sedge, Big Bluestem, Switchgrass, Cinnamon Fern, Prairie Dropseed, Little Bluestem, Indian Grass.
Sourcing
Where to find these in Kentucky
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.