Although many plants are considered deer or rabbit resistant very few will not be eaten when there is no or very little other foods available to them. Top 10 Rabbit and Deer Resistant Perennials Many of you already know the devastating results of having your newly planted garden gobbled up overnight by some wild creature. Annuals usually not eaten by rabbits: Ageratum : Ageratum houstonianum: Amethyst Flower : Browallia Speciosa: Wax Begonia : Begonia x semperflorens-cultorum: Four O'Clocks : Mirabilis jalapa : Geraniums : Pelargonium x hortorum: Marigold : Calendula officinalis: Mexican Sunflower : Tithonia rotundifolia: Spiderflower: Cleome hasslerana: Vinca : Catharanthus roseus Lantana. It is not difficult to identify when rabbits have been eating your plants. Daffodils, hardy geranium, epimedium, bee balm and peonies are some flowers that rabbits do not like to eat. Avoid these plants or use them as lures to protect more treasured plants. I read somewhere that they don't like leaves that feel fuzzy, like felt or velvet, so I planted Lamb's Ear. Rabbits are most likely to eat your plants in the early spring. Geraniums are annual, biennial and perennial plants that are also known as the cranesbills. In fact, I get asked by people all the time about which plants wild rabbits eat. Plants Rabbits Won’t Eat. The flowers have five petals and are coloured white, pink, purple or blue, often with distinctive veining. Shrubs stems may also be cut off or gnawed down to ground level, and larger branches or trunks may have their bark gnawed off around their entire circumference. Deer and Rabbit Delicacies Although hungry deer and rabbits eat almost any vegetation within reach, some plants – including the ones listed below – are definite favourites. From this survey, preliminary lists of plants that are moderately to severely damaged by rabbits and those plants seldom … Both annual (Pelargonium x hortorum) and perennial geranium (Geranium spp. source wikipedia. Whether it is deer or rabbits, it can be both costly and extremely frustrating while trying to garden. In fact, japanese beetles like to eat white geraniums but eating the foliage kills them! There have been times when I have blamed the deer for eating one of my "deer resistant" perennials. And in the winter, rabbits will typically eat the bark of tree, shrubs, and cones. The list below shows the plants in our garden that the rabbits have left alone. ", How to Protect Tomato Plants From Animals, Home Remedies to Keep Rabbits Out of the Garden, Iowa State University Extension: Susceptibility of Plants to Rabbit Damage, Colorado State University Extension: Rabbit/Ground Squirrel/ Deer Resistant Plants, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension: Discouraging Rabbits in the Garden, How to Prevent Bunnies From Eating Flowers, How to Keep Rabbits Away From Strawberries. Rabbits can cause extensive damage to flowers and vegetables in the home garden. Unfortunately, they can’t eat them at all. Some years, rabbits eat the foliage on the crocus, some years they don’t. Your email address will not be published. Irises. Many repellents are labeled for deer, but are ineffective against rabbits, according to the Colorado State University Extension. It is either deer or rabbits. They will devour tender shoots in spring and gnaw through bark in the winter. However, please note that this is not a complete list of flowers that are not safe for rabbits to eat. We have a dog so I need to be careful with poisons. In 1994, a survey of the feeding habits of rabbits was conducted by Master Gardeners and extension agents in Ohio. They eat a wide variety of plants. They like three-or-four leafed clover (mine is green with a purplish center). One of the simplest ways to deter rabbits from your geraniums is to grow them out of reach. Post navigation. Take herbaceous geraniums for example. If you’re in doubt about whether or not a particular flower is OK for your pet to eat, the safest choice is … Below is a list of plants that, while not 100% resistant, are at least not the favorites of hasenpfeffers. After all, deer tracks around the hardy geraniums … Which Plants Are Deer & Rabbits Attracted To? I didn't think anything ate geraniums until last year when something started eating mine. Sometimes, just adding a dog to your family is enough to encourage rabbits to move elsewhere. One type of flower that deer will eat if they find it is a geranium. They don’t eat anything, just dig in ANY loose soil, and leave holes and soil thrown everywhere. They have long, palmetely cleft leaves that are circular in form. I have had wild rabbits at different homes eat my coneflowers also. Annual geranium has both these qualities. Salvia; Diosma; California Lilac; Rosemary; Marguerite daisy (large bush) Geraniums; Lavender; Aloes; Nandina (sacred bamboo) Yukkas; Rock rose; Irises; Butterfly grass; Primrose Jasmine ; Agapanthus; Conifers . After a season or two of destruction, you might have more sympathy for Mr. McGregor in Beatrix Potter's classic tale, "Peter Rabbit." The flowers have five petals and are coloured white, pink, purple or blue, often with distinctive veining. The early flowering Geranium phaeum even grows well in shady spots which slugs and snails love, but they will not feed on its leaves or flowers. They look cute, but wild rabbits can wreak havoc in your garden. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. As a general rule, plants rabbits don’t like include those that have strong scents, spines, prickles or leathery leaves. What plants repel rabbits and deer?Ken Lain/Courtesy) Ken Lain Speical to the Courier Originally Published: October 2, 2020 2:01 p.m. Tweet. Rabbits are most likely to eat your plants in the early spring. Many garden supply stores carry ladybugs for your garden. There are 422 species in the genus and they are found throughout the temperate regions of the world, mostly in the eastern part of Mediterranean region. That's right – this plant is poisonous. If you have a garden, it’s good to know which plants wild rabbits like to eat. Geraniums are not on their top-favorite list, but they might occasionally eat them. In some areas, you can legally trap or hunt rabbits, but check with your department of fish and game first. Grow geraniums in hanging pots or tall containers. Hi Ann-There is a lot of contradictory information concerning the resistance of Echinacea to rabbits. Or vice versa. I just planted a bunch of geraniums and something is eating the buds off the stems. Required fields are marked *. Deer are mammals that love to feast on grass, shrubs, leaves from trees, and flowers. I thought at first it may have been rabbits but I've read that … Fortunately, rabbits are easier to deter than deer simply because of their size. In the spring, rabbits will eat the tender growth of newly emerging plants. Originally they just ate the stems and left the leaves on the ground, but now they are eating the flower buds. Repellents might offer some protection for your geraniums, but read the package directions carefully. From what I've been reading, it's probably rats. Rabbits tend to avoid plants with fragrant or thick, leathery leaves. Fortunately, some plants are usually ignored by browsing rabbits. Crown imperial (Fritillaria imperialis) This bulb, which you plant in fall, has a distinctive “skunky” … Do rabbits eat geraniums? Geraniums and Catnip repel japanese beetles. Rabbits can wreak havoc with landscapes. You can make a chicken wire enclosure around plants to keep rabbits out. What plants repel rabbits and deer? Plants Rabbits Won’t Eat in my Garden . Hydrangeas. Sun-loving lantana bears flower clusters that look like brightly-colored confetti. https://www.rabbitcaretips.com/shrubs-flowers-plants-rabbits-wont-eat For reasons that are not fully understood, garden pests tend to be put off by the heady aroma and texture of many flowering herbs. She's the creator of MarmaladeMom.org, dedicated to family fun and delicious food, and released a book titled "More Than Pot Roast: Fast, Fresh Slow Cooker Recipes. When food is scarce or rabbit populations run high, rabbits, like deer, will eat almost anything, including your prized geraniums. Geraniums are poisonous to rabbits and will harm them if they are eaten. Or both of them eat the crocus under the trees, but not next to the patio. Jackrabbits are born with a full coat of hair and opened eyes, and only spend one day in the nest before beginning to forage. Annuals, such as pelargonium geraniums, wax begonias, and ageratum, also top rabbits' list of least-liked foods. An innate sense of danger often – but not always – … Not all baby bunnies are cute, especially when they eat a new Euonymus to the ground or wipe out those pretty pansies and tulips! There is less native food available at this time of year, and rabbits prefer tender, young shoots over older plants, which have thicker leaves and tougher stems. So, do they eat corn, celery, lettuce, peanuts, apples, asparagus, grass, strawberries and bird seed? Deterring Rabbits in Our Garden I found this fantastic resource on all kinds of companion plants, I highly recommend checking it out. Fortunately, there are many flowering plants -- annuals, perennials and shrubs -- that rabbits generally avoid. Rabbits also tend to avoid plants that exude a milky sap. I have done the trialing and shed the tears for you. SO frustrating. When food is scarce or rabbit populations run high, rabbits, like deer, will eat almost anything, including your prized geraniums. Although … Plastic cloches offer protection from rabbits and also shield small geranium plants from late spring chills. Rhododendrons. Rabbits are indiscriminate eaters and will eat vegetables, perennials and annuals. I spend an hour every morning just going around filling in holes! Lilies. However, the geranium is listed as toxic to rabbits, so they don't acquire a taste for them. Do rabbits eat geraniums? 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