Landscaping in open environments or areas where rabbits, deer, and other wildlife have access to your plants can pose challenges. You enjoy seeing their fuzzy little faces, but do not enjoy the fact that they just ate $500 in shrubs and perennials. Some plant material just seems to beg to be eaten by animals, while others typically are the last thing on the list to be eaten.
We usually install landscapes in areas where wildlife is present and have to select our plant material wisely. Planting a nice juicy bouquet of Petunias in the yard will make the rabbits happy, but leave the client and ourselves feeling very dissatisfied.
We have been fine tuning our list of the different types of plants that in most cases, will survive the great outdoors. Sometimes, the wildlife is hungry it does not matter what the tag on the plant says, they will eat it.
One of our favorite plants to use is Gro-Low Sumac (Rhus aromatica 'Gro-Low). It is fast growing, tolerant of severe soil and climate conditions and reliably produces excellent fall color. The Gro-Lo Sumac also has a pungent sap with a very bitter taste, helping to protect the plant from browsing. This winter (2011-2012) had very mild temperatures and minimal precipitation. Possibly because of these factors, the rabbits were more active in the winter time. Although the rabbits did not eat the shrub to the ground, they did chew the cambium off of the stems possibly causing long-term damage to the shrub.
Try the following types of plants in your landscape. They are known in the Carson Valley to resist being eaten by critters. The first name is the botanical name and the second is the common name.
SHRUBS:
Caryopteris clandonensis 'Dark Knight' - Dark Knight Caryopteris
Rhus - Most Sumac varieties. The only exception would be the Autumn Amber variety
Yucca - All varieties of Yucca
Fallugia paradoxa - Apache Plume
PERENNIALS:
Salvia pachyphylla - Mojave Sage
Santolina chamaecyparissus - Lavender Cotton
Sedum 'Autumn Joy' - Autumn Joy Sedum
Penstemon - Most varieties
Achillea - Variety depends on region. We have had success with yellow Yarrow is some parts of town and white or red Yarrow in other areas.
Grasses:
Most grasses with the following exceptions:
Helictotrichon sempervirens - Blue Oat Grass
Hamelin - All varities
Annuals are a very risky type of plant to try. Go for some basic Marigolds. For an exotic and large annual, try the Castor plant. Use caution and keep it away from children as all parts are toxic.
This is not a complete list, but should help as a great starting guide. By using plant material that is more suited to your region of wildlife, you will have a happier garden and outlook toward the naturally occurring critters. Using browse-resistant plant also means that you will spend less time spraying animal repellants and pruning damaged plants.
If you have any favorites that are not listed here, please let us know.
