American Beautyberry
Callicarpa americana
Coarse, bitter foliage keeps the deer off, 4–7 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 4–7 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
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- Deer-resistant
Mississippi · Zones 7–9
Deer-Resistant Native Plants in Mississippi
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 Mississippi and the wider flora of the Southeast and hardy through zones 7–9 — proven performers for Mississippi's hot, humid subtropical climate across Gulf Coastal Plain & Black Belt prairie, not a generic list. Local standouts include American Beautyberry and Turk's Cap. 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
40 native species for Mississippi
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 7–9 · see this collection in other states.
Turk's Cap
Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii
Deer tend to walk past coarse, bitter foliage — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 2–5 ft tall.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 2–5 ft
- Blooms May–Oct
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
Virginia Bluebells
Mertensia virginica
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of coarse, bitter foliage.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
Deer tend to walk past leaves deer find unappealing — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 1.5–2.5 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 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
Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
Coarse, bitter foliage keeps the deer off, 2–4 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Wild Geranium
Geranium maculatum
Browse-resistant thanks to leaves deer find unappealing — a safe bet up to 1.5–2 ft tall.
- Part shade
- Average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
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
Culver's Root
Veronicastrum virginicum
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of tough, unpalatable leaves.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
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
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of coarse, bitter foliage.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms May–Aug
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
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
Tough, unpalatable leaves keep the deer off, 1.5–2 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Foxglove Beardtongue
Penstemon digitalis
Browse-resistant thanks to coarse, bitter foliage — a safe bet up to 2–4 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Prairie Blazing Star
Liatris pycnostachya
Deer tend to walk past leaves deer find unappealing — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 3–5 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of coarse, bitter foliage.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
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
Wild Bleeding Heart
Dicentra eximia
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of tough, unpalatable leaves.
- Part shade
- Average
- 12–18 in
- Blooms Apr–Aug
Short-Toothed Mountain Mint
Pycnanthemum muticum
Deer tend to walk past its scented leaves — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 2–3 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Golden Alexanders
Zizia aurea
Browse-resistant thanks to leaves deer find unappealing — a safe bet up to 1.5–2.5 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
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
Pink Muhly Grass
Muhlenbergia capillaris
Deer tend to walk past leaves deer find unappealing — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 2–3 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Ninebark
Physocarpus opulifolius
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of coarse, bitter foliage.
- Full–part sun
- Dry to wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
16 more also qualify: Fragrant Sumac, Wild Lupine, Stiff Goldenrod, Creeping Phlox, New Jersey Tea, Spicebush, Wild Ginger, Virginia Creeper, Rattlesnake Master, Big Bluestem, Little Bluestem, Indian Grass, Christmas Fern, Pennsylvania Sedge, Switchgrass, Cinnamon Fern.
Sourcing
Where to find these in Mississippi
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.