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Texas · Zones 6–9

Deer-Resistant Native Plants in Texas

Native plants deer tend to walk past — the aromatic, fuzzy, and bitter-leaved species that survive where browsing is heavy. Texas sits in a landscape of Hill Country, Blackland Prairie & Gulf Coast, and the natives that thrive here are the ones built for its hot, dry west to humid east character. The list below — led by Prairie Blazing Star and Wild Columbine — is filtered to species genuinely native to Texas and the wider flora of the South-Central region and hardy through zones 6–9. 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

58 native species for Texas

Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 6–9 · see this collection in other states.

Perennial wildflower

Wild Columbine

Aquilegia canadensis

Coarse, bitter foliage keeps the deer off, 1–2.5 ft tall and rarely touched.

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

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
Perennial wildflower

Golden Alexanders

Zizia aurea

Deer tend to walk past coarse, bitter foliage — 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
Spring ephemeral

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
Perennial wildflower

Gregg's Mistflower

Conoclinium greggii

Browse-resistant thanks to leaves deer find unappealing — a safe bet up to 1–2 ft tall.

  • Full–part sun
  • Dry–average
  • 1–2 ft
  • Blooms May–Oct
Shrub

Apache Plume

Fallugia paradoxa

One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of tough, unpalatable leaves.

  • Full sun
  • Dry
  • 3–6 ft
  • Blooms Apr–Sep
Perennial wildflower

Prairie Smoke

Geum triflorum

Leaves deer find unappealing keep the deer off, 6–16 in tall and rarely touched.

  • Full–part sun
  • Dry
  • 6–16 in
  • Blooms Apr–May
Perennial wildflower

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
Perennial wildflower

Butterfly Weed

Asclepias tuberosa

Browse-resistant thanks to leaves deer find unappealing — a safe bet up to 1.5–2.5 ft tall.

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

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
Perennial wildflower

Aromatic Aster

Symphyotrichum oblongifolium

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 Sep–Nov
Subshrub

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
Perennial wildflower

Culver's Root

Veronicastrum virginicum

Deer tend to walk past coarse, bitter foliage — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 3–5 ft tall.

  • Full–part sun
  • Average–wet
  • 3–5 ft
  • Blooms Jun–Aug
Subshrub

Autumn Sage

Salvia greggii

Deer tend to walk past leaves deer find unappealing — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 2–3 ft tall.

  • Full–part sun
  • Dry
  • 2–3 ft
  • Blooms Apr–Oct
Perennial wildflower

Common Yarrow

Achillea millefolium

Browse-resistant thanks to leaves deer find unappealing — a safe bet up to 1.5–3 ft tall.

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

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
Perennial wildflower

Black-Eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta

Deer tend to walk past leaves deer find unappealing — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 1.5–3 ft tall.

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

34 more also qualify: Showy Goldenrod, Anise Hyssop, Pink Muhly Grass, Blanketflower, Rocky Mountain Penstemon, Flame Acanthus, Pasque Flower, Wild Bergamot, Desert Marigold, Great Blue Lobelia, Desert Willow, American Beautyberry, Rattlesnake Master, Wild Lupine, Fragrant Sumac, Wild Ginger, Compass Plant, New Jersey Tea, Stiff Goldenrod, Spicebush, Blue Grama, Ninebark, Purple Prairie Clover, Virginia Creeper, Sideoats Grama, Creeping Phlox, Big Bluestem, Little Bluestem, Christmas Fern, Switchgrass, Prairie Dropseed, Cinnamon Fern, Pennsylvania Sedge, Indian Grass.

More for Texas
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Sourcing

Where to find these in Texas

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.