Gardeners' Exchange Group

Deer Issues


This page is dedicated to all gardeners who search for an effective method to manage the deer population and their landscaping.  Perhaps this is "mission impossible" but given information and perserverance the mission may become possible.



I.  Facts/Information

 II. Plant_Damage_List
III. Deer Proofing Tactics

IV.  Home Remedies from GEG Members

V. Links


I. The Facts of the Matter

Resistance of Ornamentals to Deer Damage

Revised by John W. Jett
from Fact Sheet 655 "Wild Damage Management"
Cooperative Extension Service University of Maryland

Damage to ornamental plants by white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus) has increased during the past decade. This increase is attributed to: 1. rising deer populations; 2. human populations shifting to rural and suburban homesites; 3. loss of deer habitat to development; and 4. landowner decisions to prevent deer hunting.

The best approach to control deer damage is an integrated pest managment (IPM) plan, which includes careful monitoring of any one, or a combination of the following strategies: population management, fencing, repellents, or vegetation management.

In the short run, damage to ornamental plants is largely irreversible. Damage, particularly in suburban areas with good-quality deer habitat, probably will increase. However, by planting ornamentals not favored by deer, landscapers and homeowners can attempt to preserve vulnerable landscapes.

Deer Feeding Habits

Deer feed selectively on fertilized and unfertilized landscape plantings and managed croplands. Costly browsing damage may be reduced or eliminated by planting less-preferred species or by establishing susceptible plants only in protected areas. A few strategies to consider include planting susceptible plants close to the house or in a fenced yard, or planting preferred species inside a protective ring of less-preferred species. Under most circumstances, landscaping based on a knowledge of deer feeding preferences provides an alternative to expensive chemical repellents and unsightly physical barriers.

Whether deer will target a particular plant species or variety depends on their previous habits and nutritional needs, plant palatability, seasonal factors, weather conditions, geographic area, and availability of alternative foods. Deer are creatures of habit, and previous movement patterns or foraging experiences can determine where damage will occur. Also, one plant species may be rarely damaged in one region or the country, but highly preferred in another due to differences in deer pressure and other factors. Examples of species with noted regional differences include holly, white pine, and deciduous magnolias. Therefore, caution must be taken when using plant preference lists from areas outside your own.

In general, damage from browsing is most severe when snow cover or extreme cold has reduced food availability. Another problem time is early spring when young succulent growth of ornamentals provides attractive browse before other spring growth is avialable. When food is in short suply, deer will browse even the most undesirable plants. Under such conditions, landscapers should combine damage control measures with careful plant selection. Damage control measures could include repellents, physical barriers (fencing), and deer population control. Ultimately, reducing the deer herd size is the most effective solution.

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II. Plant Damage List

The following list contains many ornamental plants adaptable to West Virginia landscapes and notes their susceptibility to deer damage. This information is useful both to select plants that are unlikely to be damaged by deer and to identify those ornamentals that frequently require protection. Two categories are included: Rarely Damaged, and Frequently Damaged. The placement of plants in these categories is based on the experiences of nursery operators, landscape contractors and designers, West Virginia Extension Service personnel, research staff, and professional horticulturists. The information derives from personal communications, published articles, and unpublished reports. Please note that deer-browsing resistance of a plant species changes according to fluctuations in deer populations, alternative food availability, and environmental factors. No plant is safe under all conditions.

Plants listed in the Rarely Damaged category are eaten infrequently by deer and are the best candidates for damage-prone landscapes. Frequently Damaged category plants often require physical or chemical protection. Before planting any of the species listed, check to ensure that they suit local climatic and soil conditions.

Rarely Damaged

Botanical Name

Common Name

Trees

Aesculus parviflora

Bottlebrush Buckeye

Amelanchier arborea

Downy Serviceberry

Amelanchier canadensis

Shadbush

Amelanchier laevis

Allegheny Serviceberry

Betula albo-sinensis

Chinese Paper Birch

Betula nigra 'Heritage'

Heritage Birch

Betula papyrifera

Paper Birch

Chamaecyparis pisifera

Japanese Falsecypress

Cryptomeria japonica

Japanese Cedar

Picea pungens glauca

Colorado Blue Spruce

Pinus sylvestris

Scotch Pine

Pseudotsuga menziesii

Douglas Fir

Shrubs and Climbers

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

Bearberry

Asimina triloba

Pawpaw

Berberis spp.

Barberry

Buxus spp.

Boxwood

Caryopteris x clandonensis

Caryopteria

Calastrus scandens

American Bittersweet

Cornus sericea

Red Osier Dogwood

Cephalotaxus harringtonia var. horeana

Japanese Plum-Yew

Elaeagnus angustifolia

Russian Olive

Gaultheria procumbens

Creeping Wintergreen

Hibiscus syriacus

Rose of Sharon

Ilex x 'John T. Morris'

John T. Morris Holly

Ilex x 'Lydia Morris'

Lydia Morris Hollies

Leucothoe spp.

Leucothoe

Ligustrum vulgare

European Privet

Pieris japonica

Japanese Andromeda

Rhamnus cathartica

Common Buckthorn

Sambucus canadensis

Blueberry Elder

Sarcoccoca hookeriana var. humilis

Dwarf Sweet Christmas Box

Annuals, Perennials, and Bulbs

Achillea spp.

Yarrow

Aconitum spp.

Monkshood

Ageratum houstonianum

Ageratum

Allium christophii

Star of Persia

Allium neapolitanum

Daffodil Garlic

Allium ostrowskianum

Lily Leek

Anemone x hybrida

Japanese Anemone

Anemonella thalictroides

Rue Anemone

Anethum graveolens

Common Dill

Aquilegia spp.

Columbine

Aurinia saxatilis

Basket-of-Gold

Antirrhinum majus

Snapdragon

Arabis spp.

Rock-cress

Arisaema thiphylum

Jack-in-the-Pulpit

Aubrietia deltoidea

Rock Cress

Bergenia spp.

Berginia

Ceratostigma plumbaginoides

Plumbago

Cimicifuga racemosa

Snakeroot

Colchicum autumnale

Colchicum

Colchicum speciosum

Colchicum

Consolida ambigua

Larkspur

Convallaria majalis

Lily-of-the-valley

Coreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam'

Threadleaf Coreopsis

Cyclamen hederifolium

Neopolitan Cyclamen

Dicentra spectabilis

Bleeding Heart

Digitalis spp.

Foxglove

Dryopteris marginalis

Wood Fern

Ecinacea purpurea

Purple Coneflower

Epimedium spp.

Barrenwort

Euphorbia spp.

Euphorbia

Fritillaria spp.

Fritillary

Galium odoratuim

Sweet Woodruff

Gloriosa superba

Glory Lily

Hemmerocallis 'Stella de Oro'

Stella de Oro Daylily

Hesperis matronalis

Dame's Rocket

Hyacinthus orientalis

Hyacinth

Lamium maculatum

Deadnettle

Lavandula spp.

Lavender

Linaria vulgaris

Toadflax

Lobularia maritima

Sweet Alyssum

Lychnis coronaria

Rose Champion

Matteuccia struthiopteris

Ostrich Fern

Narcissus spp.

Daffodil

Nicotiana spp.

Flowering Tobacco

Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis

Royal Fern

Pachysandra procumbens

Allegheny Spurge

Pachysandra terminalis

Japanese Spurge

Papaver orientale

Oriental Poppy

Pelargonium spp.

Scented Geranium

Pervoshia atriplicifolia

Russian Sage

Ranunculus spp.

Buttercup

Rheum rhabarbarum

Rhubarb

Rudbeckia spp.

Coneflower

Salvia spp.

Sage

Santolina chamaecyparissus

Lavender Cotton

Scilla spp.

Squill

Stachys byzantina

Lamb's Ears

Tagetes spp.

Marigold

Tanacetum vulgare

Common Tansy

Thymus spp.

Thyme

Tiarella cordifolia

Foam Flower

Tropaeolum majus

Nasturtium

Yucca spp.

Yucca

 

 

Frequently Damaged

Botanical Name

Common Name

Trees

Abies balsamea

Balsam Fir

Acer palmatum/red-leaved varieties

Japanese Maple

Acer platanoides

Norway Maple

Cedrus atlantica

Atlas Cedar

Cercis canadensis

Redbud

Chionanthus virginicus

Fringe Tree

x Cupressocyparis leylandii

Leyland Cypress

Fraxinus excelsior

European Ash

Ilex 'Nellie Stevens'

Nellie Stevens Holly

Kuelreutaria paniculata

Goldenrain Tree

Magnolia soulangeana

Saucer Magnolia

Malus spp.

Apple and Crabapple

Prunus spp.

Cherry and Plum

Pinus strobus

White Pine

Pyrus spp.

Pear

Thuja occidentialis

Arborvitae

Tsuga spp.

Hemlock

Shrubs and Climbers

Chaenomeles japonica

Quince

Clematis spp.

Clematis

Cornus mas

Cornellian Cherry Dogwood

Euonymus alatus

Winged Euonymus

Euonymus fortunei

Wintercreeper

Hydrangea quercifolia

Bigleaf Hydrangea

Hydrangea quercifolia

Oakleaf Hydrangea

Ilex cornuta

Chinese Holly

Ilex x merserveae

Messerve Holly

Ilex verticillata

Common Winterberry

Kalmia latifolia

Mountain Laural

Rhododendron austrinum

Florida Azalea

Rhodedeneron nudiflorum (periclymenoides)

Pinksterbloom Azalea

Rhododendron vaseyl

Pink Shell Azalea

Rhododendron hybrids

Evergreen Azaleas & Rhododendron

Rosa hybrids

Hybrid Roses

Rubus spp.

Blackberry & Raspberry

Sorbus aucupatia

European Mountain Ash

Syringa patula

Manchurian Lilac

Taxus spp.

Yew

Vaccinium corymbosum

Highbush Blueberry

Annuals, Perennials, and Bulbs

Aegopodium podagaria

Bishop's Weed

Aquilegia spp.

Columbine

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum

Japanese Painted Fern

Cherianthus spp.

Wallflower

Hedera helix

English Ivy

Helianthus spp.

Sunflower

Hosta spp.

Hosta

Hemerocallis spp. & hybrids

Daylily

Iberis sempervirens

Candytuft

Lilium spp.

Lily

Matthoila incarna

Stock

.Pelargonium spp

Geranium

Polygonatum biflorum

Solomon's Seal

Ranunculus asiaticus

Buttercup

Trillium spp.

Trillium

Tulipa spp.

Tulips

Vinca minor

Periwinkle

Viola spp.

Pansies & Violas



References
Fargione, M.J., P.D. Curtis, and M.E. Richmond. 1991. "Resistance of Woody Ornamental Plants to Deer Damage." Publication 147HGFS800.00 Ithaca, NY: Cornell University.
Bartlett, Michael. 1995. "Deer Resistant Plants." Bethesda, MD: Landscape Designs.
Gibbs, D. 1995. "Deer Resistant Plants for the Home Landscape." Chevy Chase, MD: Maryland-National Capitol Park and Planning Commission.

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III. Deer Proofing Tactics

Source of article - Ken Twombly of Twombly Nursery
Interviewed on a recent Martha Stewart program

It isn’t much of a problem for people living in heavily populated, urban areas, but for those in the country and the suburbs, deer can become a bane to the garden when they trample and eat your foliage. People have developed a number of tricks to deal with this difficulty—some of them effective, others that don’t work at all. Ken Twombly, owner of Twombly’s Nursery in Monroe, Connecticut, has a good deal of experience cordoning gardens from the reach of deer. Today, he shares some of his strategies and dispels a few myths. 

Deer, Ken says, are creatures of habit, always approaching the same locations at the same times. The trick to confounding them is convincing the deer that each trip to your garden will be a waste of their efforts, that they will encounter the same deterrents with every visit. A fence is a good start, but deer have been known to jump over twelve-foot fences. However, a five-foot fence will act as a barrier simply because the deer can’t see what’s on the other side. If you choose to use a mesh fence, make sure it’s about seven-and-a-half feet tall, and check frequently for holes. 

Tapes of barking dogs, pie tins, and bags filled with human hair are sometimes thought to work, but in reality, they are unsightly, noisy, and minimally effective. On the other hand, sprays such as Tree Guard are very effective. Tree Guard was originally developed as a dental anesthetic but had an exceptionally bitter aftertaste, which is what makes it a hindrance to deer. There are, however, two downsides: You must be diligent in applying sprays, and many leave a whitish residue on the leaves (but this is better than having no foliage at all, says Ken). Apply it once in the fall and again in the spring. Another idea is to hang small hotel-size bars of soap out of sight on the inner branches of a shrub or tree. The deer are repelled by the oil, which has kept them away from Ken’s Arborvitae—a tree usually irresistible to deer—for more than two years.

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IV. HOME REMEDIES FROM GEG MEMBERS

We would like to elicit from readers any solutions both commercial or home grown that have proven effective.  Please e-mail your helpful hints to the web site and they will be passed along.

I.  This solution comes from a member who lives in a heavily wooded area which has a large deer population, but whose garden can be sprayed.

"Put the yolk and white of one egg into the blender and blend for 10 seconds so the egg is really homogenized.  Add a quart of water and put the mixture into a trigger type quart size sprayer.  You can use at once but it could age a few days and then spray any plant the deer favor.I usually leaves about 1/2 inch of the solution in the bottom and adds new stuff to it so that it reeks right away.

Because egg does not wash off readily, one does not have to spray after it rains.  However, new growth is not well protected and so when plants are growing rapidly you may need to add a light spray a couple of times a week.  I sometimes add some fish emulsion to the mix, just to vary the aroma a bit.  This has worked for me for the last 3 growing seasons and I have been able to raise beautiful hostas and day lillies which in the first two years we lived here, were eaten to the ground no matter what we did."

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V. LINKS

The following links provide product information.  None of the sites are endorsed by the Gardener's Exchange Group.  They are purely for your own information.

http://www.deerbusters.com
http://www.plantprotec.com
http://www.weitech.com
http://www.Bobbex.com
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