Deer enjoy petunias for a variety of reasons, one of which is that they are young plants with almost succulent growth. Succulents are particularly beloved by deer, so there is no way they will pass up your petunias. From the beginning of spring until the first few months of cold, petunias will grow, and deer will nearly immediately run to eat them.
Because they are so moist, the majority of deer also favor them. If you are having problems with deer while growing petunias, you will need to take extra precautions to ensure proper protection, which will reduce the damage they inflict.
What flowers in pots won’t deer eat?
- White-tailed deer damage to nurseries has been researched by researchers from the University of Rhode Island. They found that deer had a fondness for hostas, daylilies, and English ivy in particular.
A few study participants made the interesting observation that deer appear to choose fertilized plants over those that haven’t.
Which Plants Deer Don’t Want to Eat
It should come as no surprise that deer tend to avoid harmful plants. Deer steer clear of common flowers with toxicity like daffodils, foxgloves, and poppies.
- Deer also have a propensity to avoid plants with powerful odors. Flowers like peonies and bearded irises, as well as herbs like sages, decorative salvias, and lavender, are simply “stinky to deer.
- Would you like to consume anything sharp? Deer don’t either (unless they’re in a pinch). They avoid eating plants like lamb’s ear on their favored menu.
Deer-Resistant Plants for Shade
- Bleeding hearts are one of our favorite perennials that can withstand deer (Lamprocapnos spectabilis, aka Dicentra spectabilis).
- Astilbe are plants that thrive in shade and are resistant to deer. Bridal Veil, Visions, and Fanal asters combine well.
Deer-Resistant Plants for Sun
- The Coreopsis verticillata ‘Zagreb’ variety has a long blooming season from May through September and attracts butterflies but not deer.
- The perennial Liatris spicata ‘Kobold’ or Blazing Star is another sun-loving plant that isn’t a favorite among the deer.
- One of our favorite native plants, Echinacea purpurea, attracts pollinators.
- Salvia x sylvestris, sometimes known as wood sage, is another sun-lover.
- Last but not least, a popular type of Shasta Daisy that deer do not prefer is Leucanthemum x superbum “Becky.”
List of Top Deer-Resistant Plants, Flowers, and Shrubs
Deer-resistant plants have been identified through research as those that are less likely to be consumed by deer. The list is below. Here is a list of common plants that deer rarely or never seriously harm. Remember that there are no plants that are entirely resistant to deer; this is the first rule of deer proofing.
Do deer consume petunias or geraniums?
The local deer populations like munching on bushes, plants, fruit trees, nuts, and acorns as they are herbivores.
Leafy vegetation and several kinds of flowers are favorites among deer. Petunias unfortunately provide a wonderful target for deer because they have both of those.
Deer consume many different kinds of flowers, including pansies, roses, hydrangeas, marigolds, geraniums, and more. Petunias are just one of the flowers they like to eat.
What kind of animals devour petunias?
Many animals, including rabbits and deer, like eating petunias. They are also consumed by mules and hens. The plant will also be consumed by rodents like mice and squirrels.
Mules and hens are probably off the suspect list unless you live in the country.
There are steps you may take to safeguard your plants from whatever is consuming your petunias. The following natural solutions may be helpful if deer, chickens, or rabbits are consuming your flowers, including petunias:
- To keep rabbits and birds away, surround the petunia plants with chicken wire that has a 1-inch diameter or smaller. This wire should be at least 2 feet high and 3 inches deep.
- In order to give creatures like rabbits, squirrels, and mice somewhere to hide, remove weeds, tall grass, stones, and other debris from the area around the petunias.
- When the petunias are wet, especially, sprinkle black pepper, chili powder, or Cheyenne pepper on and around them.
- Around the outside of the petunia plants, sprinkle a little amount of blood meal (a dry powder used as a high-nitrogen organic fertilizer or high-protein animal feed).
- To keep mice and squirrels away from petunia plants, combine 1 tablespoon dish soap and 1 tablespoon castor oil with 1 gallon of water. The mixture can then be applied to the soil.
- To deter deer and mules, mix 1 raw egg with 2 quarts of water, then mist the solution over the petunia plants’ leaves.
- Petunias should be grown in window boxes or hanging baskets to keep them off the ground and away from animals that graze on grass.
Not sure what is eating your precious petunias?
Think about setting up a trail camera. These cameras feature motion detectors that trigger pictures or videos when the unidentified visitors show up for their late-night snack.
Do geraniums appeal to deer?
Annual geraniums, or more correctly pelargoniums, are lovely, long-blooming plants that come in a wide variety. These plants are luckily not attractive to deer or most other garden pests, and they are rather simple to grow. Your hostas, strawberries, and tulips would be highly preferred by deer as food sources. Of course, a deer can eat any plant if it is hungry enough, including pelargoniums. The temptation will rely on the lack of food, which worsens from October to February during the colder seasons.
Pelargoniums are categorized as occasionally injured by Rutgers University on their rating scale, which ranges from seldom damaged to frequently severely damaged. The bitter flavor, strong aroma, and fuzzy leaves of the majority of pelargonium varieties are repulsive to deer. The geranium budworm, also known as the tobacco budworm, is a more frequent pest for these plants. The geranium budworm consumes the buds and petals of geraniums, giving the blooms a ragged, chewed appearance. Additionally vulnerable to mites, aphids, sawflies, and thrips are geraniums.
The flowering plant known as true geraniums, also referred to as hardy cranesbill, is quite different. This perennial, in contrast to pelargoniums, is frost resistant and grows in spreading clumps. Deer avoid the majority of hardy cranesbill varieties because of their aroma and leaf texture. This includes Geranium macrorrhizum. Deer typically graze on Geranium endressii, therefore it should be placed cautiously if deer are a problem in your community.
Which plants irritate deer the most?
According to Hyland, deer typically avoid plants with fragrant foliage like sage and rosemary. Additionally, they stay away from statuesque plants like yews, hollies, and boxwoods. Deers will not enjoy anything spiky or fuzzy, so take the texture of the plant into consideration.
Do marigolds deter opossums?
All marigold types repel deer due to their overpowering, offensive aroma. However, signet marigolds (seen in the image) are frequently used in cooking because of their milder citrus flavor and aroma.
Zones 9–10; cultivated elsewhere as an annual exposure to the sun Late spring until frost is the blooming season. Variable, ranging from 6 inches to 4 feet tall and 6 inches to 2 feet wide.
Do deer consume impatiens?
While gardening is a profitable and fun hobby, there are undoubtedly obstacles to overcome. The secret to having a thriving garden is knowledge. Knowing whether impatiens are vulnerable to deer and how to safeguard them is important if you’re considering about planting them. Do deer eat impatiens? is crucial to know for this reason. We investigated this for you in order to learn the solution and how to prevent your lovely flowers from turning into a deer buffet!
Yes, deer do consume impatiens. If you don’t safeguard these plants, they’ll consume them right away. It is crucial to take the required precautions to protect your impatiens if you reside in a region where deer are frequently encountered.
Just beginning to learn that impatiens are consumed by deer. Discover some of the most effective (and simple) strategies to safeguard your plants by reading on. We conducted study so that you may begin planting those stunning impatiens in your garden.
Do deer consume begonias?
Deer avoid planting spring and early summer summer blooming bulbs, rhizomes, tubers, and corms.
The majority of the environments where we live have whitetail deer. While there are numerous effective techniques to keep deer away, two related strategies include planting a range of plants that deer avoid and switching from a straightforward landscape plan with “buffet-style offerings” to a more intricate and substantial strategy that “buffers the harm.” Summer blooming bulbs, rhizomes, tubers, and corms that are planted in spring and early summer for summer display are the topic of this article. We’ll talk about planting deer-resistant bulbs in the fall for the following spring in a future article.
In biology, rhizomes, tubers, corms, and bulbs are referred to as geophytes. There are two methods to obtain many summer blooming geophytes: in active growth in pots or in dormant form (such as bulbs in mesh bags). In fact, when we choose one of them as a container plant, some of us might not even be aware that we are buying a geophyte!
Here are some summer geophytes that deer avoid, as well as some suggestions for buffer-style landscaping.
Allium
There are hundreds of kinds of alliums, sometimes known as flowering onions, in the world, some of which can be cultivated as perennials in the Midwest. Although allium bulbs typically need to be planted in the fall, it is becoming more and more usual to discover some varieties with narrow leaves that resemble perennials grown in containers. Alliums have a strong, pungent aroma and flavor, which makes deer avoid them.
Iris
Iris plants with rough (German) or grass-like (Japanese) leaves are avoided by deer, who also stay away from the German and Japanese varieties. There is an iris for everyone because German types can tolerate dry, sandier soils while Japanese species prefer wetter, richer soils. When planted in large groups alongside other plants, particularly those that bloom at the same time, iris appear lovely. Rhizomes, like irises, are incredibly simple to grow and multiply.
Kniphofia
These rhizomes, sometimes known as poker plants or desert candles, have slender, grass-like leaves that resemble attractive grasses. Due to their sharp edges, grass-like blades are unpopular with deer. Because Kniphofia grows in mountain ranges in its natural environment, which is Africa, it can withstand some milder weather here in Michigan (USDA Zones 5 and 6).
Eremus
Eremus (foxtail lilies or Desert Candles), though difficult for a beginner to grow, may be magnificent if you have the ideal soil conditions they require. Although these plants are very well-liked in England, they are not well-known in the United States. They can survive in USDA Zones 5-7 and are native to Eastern Europe and China. They are typically unreliable in Michigan because they require very well-drained soil and are very prone to root rot in the winter from damp soils. Given that deer are picky, try a little amount first before making a larger planting. Their grass-like leaves is what gives them their deer resistance.
Peony
Perennial peonies are offered for sale as potted plants and dormant tuberous roots. Peonies are resistant to deer because of their leathery leaves, albeit this poses a modest risk to the flowers. But given the prevalence of deer and blustery winter winds in Michigan’s wide rural areas, it is not surprising that they have survived on their own. The 33 species and variety of cultivars of this plant, many of which flourish in cold growing regions, surprise many gardeners (as low as USDA Zone 3). In June, Matthaei Gardens in Ann Arbor, Michigan, bloom to their fullest.
Gladiolus
Gladioli typically tolerated deer damage in the open gardens of farming communities for the same reason as peonies do. Glads are frequently referred to as “sword lilies” because deer dislike their tough, grass-like leaves. If there is any concern that deer will eat the flowers, gardeners usually clip bloom stems before emergence for longer vase life nevertheless. Other lesser-known gladiolus cultivars feature looser blooms (e.g. G. callianthus). These looser kinds, as well as the conventional varieties, can be let to bloom in beds alongside other perennials that are resistant to deer. Since the 300 species of gladioli are native to warmer regions than Michigan’s growing regions, their corms must be plucked and kept for the winter.
Agapanthus
This bulb, which is also known as Lily of the Nile, is unusual to many. Although it has huge blue flowers that resemble those of allium, it blooms later in the summer, has fewer species (only six to ten species, plus some hybrids), and is more resistant to deer thanks to its leathery leaves rather than a potent aroma.
Begonia
Although not all begonias are, those with fuzzy stems or leaves or leaves that are waxy or leathery tend to be. Begonias have enormous species and cultivar diversity, both in terms of quantity (1,800 species worldwide) and plant structure. They also contain rhizomatous or tuberous stems.
Rhizomatous stems, soft leaves, and gorgeous foliage all characterize Rex Begonias. Waxy-leaved begonias, such as bedding varieties, are grown more for their flowers than their leaves and have tuberous stems and waxy leaves. Deer can still pull tiny wax begonias right out of the ground (taste test), even if they do not want to eat them, therefore huge leaf wax begonias, like angel wing begonia, have the highest deer resistance. Begonias are cultivated as annuals in Michigan throughout the summer or overwintered indoors as houseplants, with the exception of the hardy begonia, Begonia grandis, which can only be grown in USDA Zone 6 or higher.
Caladium
These varied, tuberous-rooted plants, which are sometimes known as elephant ears, belong to the Araceae plant family and have huge leaves that frequently have vivid colors. Only in Michigan can elephant ears be cultivated as annuals; they are native to warm climates. Their ability to repel deer is probably due to a poison they make called oxalate/oxalic acid. Other Araceae family plants, including perennial skunk cabbage and perennial rhubarb (Rheum sp. ), both of which are resistant to deer, also contain this toxin. Imagine a garden bursting with rhubarb, elephant ears, and skunk cabbage.
More deer-resistant geophytes:
- Lightning Star (Liatris punctate or the Michigan native Liatris spicata) This corm is not quite as deer resistant as other bulbs, but it still has some resistance, particularly if it is interplanted with other deer resistant plants like Echinacea.
- bloody heart (Dicentra )
- A typical perennial that is offered in active and dormant forms (both in bags) (in pots). All bleeding heart species and cultivars have exceptionally excellent deer resistance.
- Canna flowers (Canna)
- They are resistant to deer because of their leathery leaves and frequent great size. In the majority of locations in Michigan, their rhizomes must be raised in the fall so that the leaves can wither and then the tops can be removed for storage.
- Crocosmia/Montbretia
- These corms grow into plants that have grass-like foliage and orange/red blooms on long stalks; ‘Luicifer’ is hardy to USDA Zone 5, although the majority of these are only acceptable down to Zone 6.
- Cranesbill (Geranium tuberosum)
- These wild geraniums, which are perennials with tuberous roots and members of the geranium family, are resistant to deer because of their fuzzy stems and leaves.
- Fumewort (Corydalis solida), a woodland plant, is frequently offered in pots for sale in the early spring.
- Aconite in winter (Eranthis hyemalis)
- a less well-known bulb that is a member of the Ranunculaceae family of plants (buttercups). It grows slowly and bears yellow flowers; it is occasionally offered as a potted plant.
- Oxalis adenophylla, a plant from the more well-known genus Oxalis, is another unusual species (shamrocks). Instead of in its dormant corm state, it is primarily sold as a plant in containers.