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South Carolina · Zones 7–9

Deer-Resistant Native Plants in South Carolina

Native plants deer tend to walk past — the aromatic, fuzzy, and bitter-leaved species that survive where browsing is heavy. South Carolina sits in a landscape of Sandhills, Piedmont & Lowcountry, and the natives that thrive here are the ones built for its humid subtropical character. The list below — led by Lanceleaf Coreopsis and Wild Geranium — is filtered to species genuinely native to South Carolina and the wider flora of the Southeast and hardy through zones 7–9. 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 South Carolina

Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 7–9 · see this collection in other states.

Perennial wildflower

Wild Geranium

Geranium maculatum

Deer tend to walk past coarse, bitter foliage — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 1.5–2 ft tall.

  • Part shade
  • Average
  • 1.5–2 ft
  • Blooms Apr–Jun
Shrub

American Beautyberry

Callicarpa americana

Browse-resistant thanks to leaves deer find unappealing — a safe bet up to 4–7 ft tall.

  • Full–part sun
  • Dry–average
  • 4–7 ft
  • Blooms Jun–Jul
Perennial wildflower

Aromatic Aster

Symphyotrichum oblongifolium

Deer tend to walk past coarse, bitter foliage — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 1.5–2.5 ft tall.

  • Full sun
  • Dry
  • 1.5–2.5 ft
  • Blooms Sep–Nov
Perennial wildflower

Butterfly Weed

Asclepias tuberosa

Coarse, bitter foliage keeps the deer off, 1.5–2.5 ft tall and rarely touched.

  • Full sun
  • Dry
  • 1.5–2.5 ft
  • Blooms Jun–Aug
Perennial wildflower

Wild Columbine

Aquilegia canadensis

Deer tend to walk past coarse, bitter foliage — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 1–2.5 ft tall.

  • Part shade
  • Dry–average
  • 1–2.5 ft
  • Blooms Apr–Jun
Perennial wildflower

Purple Coneflower

Echinacea purpurea

Deer tend to walk past tough, unpalatable leaves — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 2–4 ft tall.

  • Full–part sun
  • Dry–average
  • 2–4 ft
  • Blooms Jun–Sep
Subshrub

Turk's Cap

Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii

Browse-resistant thanks to tough, unpalatable leaves — a safe bet up to 2–5 ft tall.

  • Sun to shade
  • Dry–average
  • 2–5 ft
  • Blooms May–Oct
Perennial wildflower

Showy Goldenrod

Solidago speciosa

Coarse, bitter foliage keeps the deer off, 2–4 ft tall and rarely touched.

  • Full–part sun
  • Dry–average
  • 2–4 ft
  • Blooms Sep–Oct
Spring ephemeral

Virginia Bluebells

Mertensia virginica

Deer tend to walk past tough, unpalatable leaves — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 1–2 ft tall.

  • Part shade
  • Average–wet
  • 1–2 ft
  • Blooms Mar–May
Perennial wildflower

Common Yarrow

Achillea millefolium

Browse-resistant thanks to tough, unpalatable leaves — a safe bet up to 1.5–3 ft tall.

  • Full sun
  • Dry–average
  • 1.5–3 ft
  • Blooms May–Aug
Perennial wildflower

Black-Eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta

Browse-resistant thanks to tough, unpalatable leaves — a safe bet up to 1.5–3 ft tall.

  • Full–part sun
  • Dry–average
  • 1.5–3 ft
  • Blooms Jun–Sep
Ornamental grass

Pink Muhly Grass

Muhlenbergia capillaris

Coarse, bitter foliage keeps the deer off, 2–3 ft tall and rarely touched.

  • Full sun
  • Dry–average
  • 2–3 ft
  • Blooms Sep–Oct
Perennial wildflower

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
Perennial wildflower

Wild Bergamot

Monarda fistulosa

One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of the strong-smelling foliage.

  • Full–part sun
  • Dry–average
  • 2–4 ft
  • Blooms Jun–Aug
Perennial wildflower

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
Perennial wildflower

Foamflower

Tiarella cordifolia

Leaves deer find unappealing keep the deer off, 6–12 in tall and rarely touched.

  • Part shade
  • Average
  • 6–12 in
  • Blooms Apr–May
Perennial wildflower

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
Shrub

Ninebark

Physocarpus opulifolius

Leaves deer find unappealing keep the deer off, 5–10 ft tall and rarely touched.

  • Full–part sun
  • Dry to wet
  • 5–10 ft
  • Blooms May–Jun

16 more also qualify: Fragrant Sumac, New Jersey Tea, Creeping Phlox, Wild Lupine, Virginia Creeper, Wild Ginger, Spicebush, Stiff Goldenrod, Rattlesnake Master, Switchgrass, Cinnamon Fern, Indian Grass, Pennsylvania Sedge, Christmas Fern, Big Bluestem, Little Bluestem.

More for South Carolina
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Sourcing

Where to find these in South Carolina

Seeds & live plants on Amazon

Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.

Browse on Amazon

Some 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.