Deer aren’t supposed to eat echinacea

But they do. Every time they grow new foliage the a&&hole deer mow them down again.

Deer will eat most anything green in the spring.

They eat mine, just the leaves though, not the flowers.

Are you sure it’s deer?

Groundhogs loves echinaceas. They ate mine like that. had to stop planting them in my backyard where groundhogs roam.

My deer like to eat tulip buds, tender shoots of my fruit trees. I also agree that if hungry, deer will eat a lot of plants.

1 Like

Oh, but they will. It’s just not at the top of their buffet preference.

If you want to try growing something that deer don’t eat, your safe with elderberries. When mature, they have fragrant and beautiful flowers. They alre also healthy and make great jam.

3 Likes

Maybe it is groundhogs. We have issues with them, too.

No groundhogs in my yard that I have ever seen. (and I would have by this point)

I am 99% sure it is deer. They also nibble my persimmon tree as they go by.

Deer here and at my old place in southcentral WI love/loved to browse young elderberry foliage

1 Like

Nope, they mowed my Elderberries down last fall. They also chow down on my Rhododendrons every year, another one they supposedly don’t eat.

3 Likes

Mine aren’t likely to be given a chance to bloom the way they’re being repeatedly eaten.

1 Like

I find deer, rabbits, etc, will try almost anything once. Last year when I planted my bayberries as little bare root twigs, I watched as a rabbit came up and investigated the new shrubs. I was feeling smugly confident about how rabbits and deer don’t like to eat them. What does the rabbit do? Sniff, sniff, snip! Cut the top cleanly off, then hopped over to the next one! I ran out the door shouting at it. Haven’t had any more nibblers since (knock on wood).

2 Likes

One thing I have never seen them eat even once are hardy hibiscus.

I have some planted right next to the other flowers they damage and they won’t touch them.

They also seem to leave milkweed totally alone.

(of course both the hibiscus and the milkweed are native here so maybe they tried them for the first time somewhere else)

2 Likes

Yoir bunnies are so weak-minded :laughing:

Mine are so bold and fearless. I’ve chased after them many times. They’ve come right back.

1 Like

I think the large quantity of cats in the neighborhood helps where I am. I just learned my neighbor feeds the rabbits over the winter with hay! I knew he fed the birds and the squirrels, but rabbits too! It will either be great at keeping them from girdling my trees, or make for a huge problem.

My neighborhood has foxes everywhere, including one that has been living in my neighbor’s yard.

I rarely see rabbits here, but they don’t seem effective at controlling squirrels at all.

Let deer eat hot lead!!

2 Likes

Then eat the deer. (My neighbor almost got to…the shotgun misfired).

1 Like

Maybe the deer felt a cold coming on? :slight_smile:

1 Like