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| Hi there
I am in the NW corner of Minnesota, zone 3 just on the edge of zone 4. I have a privacy row of shrubs I am working on. Currently it is a row of overgrown buckthorn,(gad I hate that stuff!) but it separates my yard from the gravel road (there is no ditch, just my yard this row of stuff and the gravel road) Across the road is about 14 acres of deer filled woods! Anyway as I tear out the buckthorn I want to replace it with GOOD shrubs, but they have to be deer resistant. I would hate to spend money on a beautiful shrub to have it eaten! (did I mention this row is about 150 feet long??) Currently the shrubs I bought (without checking deer resistance first, they were just SO pretty!) Are:
Does anyone have personal experience with these and deer? Or know if they are deer resistant? I am confused mostly because when I looked up the elderberry it said it was resistant, but am sure that I planted some about 6 or 7 years ago, and they were nibbled to the ground, it was a different variety though. If that makes a difference. Oh and what about Weigela's? It would be nice to add some of these for color and bloom, but not as forage! And my friend is giving me a number of potted lilacs she dug from her yard, 4 different varieties,these should be ok. Thanks
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Follow-Up Postings:
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| These highly selective feeders are unpredictable. As with fungus diseases of roses, results vary from one location to the next. Some plants not on the menu may also be damaged by rubbing off of velvet in season. Nothing is more sure than a secure fence. Where browsing pressure is high it may be necessary to confine plantings to an effective enclosure. It must be high enough to prevent jumping over and firm enough to prevent wriggling under, throughout the year. |
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| While it's true that deer tastes vary, and also true that starving deer will eat anything, and also true that very heavy deer pressure is very different from light or moderate deer pressure, it is still true that many plants are not very appealing to deer. Also, it is important to understand that deer eat differently in summer than in winter; in winter they are much more likely to browse woody plants. Elderberries seem very appealing to deer. Ninebarks tend to be less appealing, and they are so large and vigorous that they can withstand some nibbling. Sumac is very likely to be left alone. |
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- Posted by duluthinbloomz4 (My Page) on Wed, Aug 12, 09 at 11:04
| Occasionally deer will nip my Ninebark - minimal damage, and as said, vigorous growers so can handle missing a few branch tips. I have lilacs galore (common variety, not Korean) - they're definitely OFF the deer radar here. Even in the most severe summer or winter conditions, deer haven't bothered with them. And that's 109 years since they were planted and 27 years since I've been familiar with them. |
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| Laceyvail Thank you, I know that the deer can nibble anything, But I also know that they there are some they are less likely to nibble. Those are the ones I want to plant in my row. Frankly I can't afford to put up a deer fence, I have 5 acres here! But I will put up a smaller fence to divert them away from this area. Jenny P |
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| Thanks Duluth! I know that lilacs are usually off the deer radar, but I have 4 that I planted a few years back, and every winter they get nibbled over the winter. I decided that this year I am going to invest in some fencing and make tall cages to put around them for the winter. I do this with other trees already. Jenny P |
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- Posted by greyhoundmom 6 (My Page) on Wed, Aug 12, 09 at 15:40
| I have a woodland garden with plenty of deer and my Korean lilac hasn't been touched. Not to say your deer won't nibble, but.. The wild sumac around me is a favorite so I'm thinking any sumac would be a treat for them. As a matter of fact the mother deer that gave birth in my garden was enjoying the sumac the day before she surprised me with her newborn. My Weigela is at least 7yrs. old and going strong without a nibble. And I actually think if it were to get one or two tastes it would pull through. Also free from deer has been my hydrangea Pinky Winky, although I just planted it last year so it's still new. But it's next to the sumac, and the deer enjoyed the Rudbeckia's near it as well. So... Again, not to say your deer won't think your shrubs aren't tasty but these have been good for me. |
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| Deer have been a curse in my garden for years but the following shrubs they have never touched: Myrica pennsylvanica (Northern Bayberry) Viburnum dilatatum 'Erie' Korean lilac Viburnum trilobum 'Wentworth' |
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| What about rabbits? Korean Lilac gets TORE up by rabbits all the time....the plants typically rebound though. |
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- Posted by duluthinbloomz4 (My Page) on Thu, Aug 13, 09 at 19:17
| Rabbits do a real number on quite a few different shrubs over the course of the winter. I've never had to prune my Anthony Waterer spireas after they're eaten down to nubs. Luckily, that's a shrub that takes it all in stride and comes back better than ever. I think deer often get blamed for some of what is actually rabbit damage. |
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| Weigelas never touched by deer in my garden. Elderberries get a nibble, but they are tall mature specimens able to withstand it, not new plants. I have two varieties of lilac- miss kim and a common purple, I think. Neither are bothered much. But I also have strange deer- never touched a hosta! (which apparently is unheard of...) Good luck :) |
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| Also worth adding. It's my experience that when deer have the run of a property (that is, when no effort is being made the made the property inhospitable to them), they will try plants they normally have no interest in and will often start to browse them. As a garden consultant, I have seen this repeatedly at clients' gardens. |
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| Like everyone else, deer pressure is getting worse every year and I have resorted to a fence in one area, with lots of beds still available to the ranging herbivores. Of the shrubs you have listed....all have been eaten or rubbed except the k. lilac and 'darts gold' ninebark. Others not on your list that have survived for me.....bridal wreath spiraea or any spiraea for that matter. Dogwood gets nibbled but seems to withstand the pressure, caryopteris, kolkwitzia, mugo pine and lilacs of any kind. Don't forget that ornamental grasses are usually deer resistant as well. Good luck and keep trying.......their tastes seem to change all the time...... Flora |
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