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
Vermont · Zones 3–5
Deer-Resistant Native Plants in Vermont
Native plants deer tend to walk past — the aromatic, fuzzy, and bitter-leaved species that survive where browsing is heavy. For Vermont, the right natives are shaped by Green Mountains & Champlain Valley and a cold, humid continental climate. Every species below, from Purple Coneflower and Wild Bleeding Heart to the rest of the list, is genuinely native to Vermont and the wider flora of the Northeast 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
36 native species for Vermont
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 3–5 · see this collection in other states.
Wild Bleeding Heart
Dicentra eximia
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of coarse, bitter foliage.
- Part shade
- Average
- 12–18 in
- Blooms Apr–Aug
Dense Blazing Star
Liatris spicata
Deer tend to walk past tough, unpalatable leaves — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 2–4 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
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
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of coarse, bitter foliage.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Great Blue Lobelia
Lobelia siphilitica
Deer tend to walk past leaves deer find unappealing — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 2–3 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Short-Toothed Mountain Mint
Pycnanthemum muticum
Browse-resistant thanks to aromatic foliage — a safe bet up to 2–3 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
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
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of tough, unpalatable leaves.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of leaves deer find unappealing.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
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
Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
Aromatic foliage keeps the deer off, 2–4 ft tall and rarely touched.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Wild Geranium
Geranium maculatum
Browse-resistant thanks to tough, unpalatable leaves — a safe bet up to 1.5–2 ft tall.
- Part shade
- Average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Wild Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of coarse, bitter foliage.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Golden Alexanders
Zizia aurea
Browse-resistant thanks to coarse, bitter foliage — a safe bet up to 1.5–2.5 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 1.5–2.5 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
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
Showy Goldenrod
Solidago speciosa
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 Sep–Oct
Virginia Bluebells
Mertensia virginica
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of leaves deer find unappealing.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Bearberry
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of leaves deer find unappealing.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 4–8 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Creeping Phlox
Phlox subulata
Deer tend to walk past tough, unpalatable leaves — dependable where browsing is heavy, at 4–8 in tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 4–8 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Wild Lupine
Lupinus perennis
One deer reliably leave alone, on the strength of leaves deer find unappealing.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Ninebark
Physocarpus opulifolius
Browse-resistant thanks to coarse, bitter foliage — a safe bet up to 5–10 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry to wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Virginia Creeper
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Browse-resistant thanks to tough, unpalatable leaves — a safe bet up to 30–50 ft tall.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 30–50 ft
- Blooms Jun
12 more also qualify: New Jersey Tea, Fragrant Sumac, Spicebush, Wild Ginger, Switchgrass, Prairie Dropseed, Little Bluestem, Big Bluestem, Pennsylvania Sedge, Cinnamon Fern, Christmas Fern, Indian Grass.
Sourcing
Where to find these in Vermont
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.