Finding plants that can resist a deer’s appetite
Almost 15 years ago, my wife and I landscaped the walkway to our front door in Bedford County. The final piece of this project was the placement of 16 hosta plants — a variety known as Virginia Reel — to buffer the newly placed pavers.
Within a week, all of the hostas were gone. Every one of them was chewed down to the root ball. It was heartbreaking to see what the deer had done, reducing our time and money to nothing.
Looking back on it, we now know our efforts were foolish; hosta is near the top of the list of preferred deer cuisine.
Deer-proofing?
Though it can be challenging, there are opportunities for Smith Mountain Lake area homeowners and gardeners to strategically use plants that are resistant to deer.
However, it’s vital to emphasize the word resistant, because there is no such thing as a deer-proof plant. When a deer is hungry enough, it will eat plants that it normally avoids, and this can be exacerbated during times of extreme environmental stress, like drought or prolonged winter temperatures that limit food resources.
But even under “normal” circumstances, the roughly 1 million white-tailed deer in Virginia will eagerly gorge on plants in rural and suburban regions. Complicating things, the specific diet of deer populations is known to shift from year to year … or even season to season.
For example, the tender new growth of plants in springtime is a particular favorite for deer, particularly because they’re soft to the touch and have high water content. This also means that over-fertilized and over-watered plants may also bring these unwelcomed dinner guests to your home.
And some plants — even ornamental ones — are simply prone to foraging by deer:
- Among tree species, redbuds, cherries and pears are vulnerable.
- With evergreens, azaleas, arborvitae and wintercreeper will commonly be picked clean.
- In addition to hostas, deer go for other perennials and annuals such as daylilies, impatiens and pansies.
Preventing plant loss
But all is not lost!
Numerous preventive steps can be taken to help guard against deer pressure. The location of your landscaping could play a factor, though most people have probably seen deer that come right up to the house, so that measure only goes so far.
There are several brands of repellent products that work effectively, utilizing taste or odor to ward off deer. Other possibilities, even if less desirable, include using fencing or so-called “scare devices,” such as red LED lights that mimic a predator’s eyes, motion-activated scarecrow devices or even ultrasonic deer whistles. However, given the nature of these devices, be considerate of your neighbors before adopting them.
Choosing plants
Still, none of these measures should be implemented unless you can complement your efforts with deer-resistant plants that are suitable for hardiness Zone 7b, the medium-length growing season that encompasses the entirety of Smith Mountain Lake.
Broadly speaking, plants with thorns or prickly leaves or stems, pungent tastes (deer have never messed with our garlic beds!), or sappy secretions are more likely to keep the deer moving past your yard. Deer also avoid eating many types of ornamental grasses — such as switch grass, maiden grass and fountain grass — which is great for homeowners because this group includes many tough, attractive, low-maintenance options.
Perhaps the most success you will have in adding waves of intricacy, color and texture to your landscapes and gardens is through the selection of deer-resistant perennials. False indigo can bring a splash of blues and purples to your yard, while dianthus species can showcase an array of reds, pinks and whites. Turn to blanket flowers for yellows and reds with some orange highlights, or to Lenten rose to really amplify color options with yellows, greens, purples and more. Others that get strong recommendations include red hot poker, bee balm, and many sage species. There are a variety of landscaping trees, evergreen and deciduous shrubs, ferns and other plants that are also worth considering.
If you’re looking for small- or medium-sized trees, river birch, sweetbay magnolia, Southern magnolia and crape myrtle rank as some of the area’s favorites.
Evergreen shrubs are a popular planting choice, yet they can become threatened by deer during the winter when vegetation thins out elsewhere. Sunny areas are great for rosemary, loropetalum or wax myrtle, while shadier locations may call for Japanese plum yew or needle palm.
Among deciduous shrubs, the butterfly bush is one of the very few that are likely to make it through a season unscathed, though you may also have luck with various viburnum or hydrangea species.
Working with an expert around Smith Mountain Lake— whether through a nursery or a landscaping company — is your best option for installing a design that suits your tastes, as well as your needs and longevity at the lake. Deer are creatures of habit, so if you do encounter problems, be proactive at the first signs of damage and find a way to disrupt their feeding patterns.
Had I done that years ago, I’m sure my hostas would’ve appreciated it. ✦