Plants That the Herbivores Will Avoid in the South

Fionuala Campionsays in her article , Dazzling Deer - Resistant Perennials , “ Though very graceful and delicious to behold in their aboriginal home ground , cervid are a ravenous force to consider with in many Northern California gardens , specially in summer and fall . ” But these majestic creatures are not just an topic for gardener on the west coast . There are populations of deer in all 50 state , and all are munching on the many dissimilar plants we ’re growing across the land .

There are a vast regalia of check that can offer various levels of success , but sometimes the best method to deter pests is produce plants they wo n’t incommode with . While results can always vary , these four expert - take plant life for the South are the closest you ’ll get to cervid - proof .

1. Whale’s Tongue Agave

Name:Agaveovatifolia

Zones:7b–11

Size:2 to 3 groundwork tall and 3 to 4 feet encompassing

condition : Full sun ; median to dry out , well - drain grease

Native range of a function : Northeastern Mexico

This hardy agave is one of my favourite of all time . It thrives in sandy clay grease in a very hot microclimate on the south side of my house . In our region it seldom sustains any wintertime impairment . It forms a structurally stunning rosette of thick , silvern , slightly cupped parting tipped with acute points . Try using it mixed into a full - sun perennial border , or as the principal of a drought - tolerant hellstrip innovation . It looks especially stunning near a bright - colorize companion like ‘ Fernspray Gold ’ Hinoki cypress , another of my deer - resistant ducky . To keep it healthy , do not overwater , and do not cut off the terminal spines . The back are part of the leaves , and removing them could bring in an avenue for pathogens to infect the flora .

2. ‘Chapel Hill Yellow’ Lantana

Name:Lantana‘Chapel Hill Yellow’

Zones:7–11

Size:18 to 24 inch tall and 24 to 36 inches wide-cut

condition : Full sun ; moist to average , well - drain soil

Native range : Hybrid

On the spectrum of cold-blooded - tolerant - lantana hues , ‘ Chapel Hill Yellow ’ is less the color of road paint and more that of a re of sunlight . Herbivores avoid it , perhaps because of the sandpaper - like texture of its foliage , which makes my arms itch for minute when it scratch against them . Yet I keep pass away back to this mounding , butterfly- and bee - draw in perennial for its continuous bloom , which add sunshine to the front of the border from early summer through fall . If lantana lace bugs become a trouble , spraying with neem or horticultural crude oil early in the plague and before the temperature mount above 90 ° F should help oneself . ‘ Chapel Hill Yellow ’ requires little additional maintenance apart from some steady watering to get it established and some pruning in natural spring once it starts produce new leaves .

3. ‘Fernspray Gold’ Hinoki Cypress

Name:Chamaecyparisobtusa‘Fernspray Gold’

Zones:4–8

Size:5 to 6 fundament magniloquent and 3 to 4 foot across-the-board

Conditions : Full sunshine to partial ghost ; mediocre to moist , well - drain soil

Native range : Japan

This stout coniferous tree — one of my ducky — merit a daub in any garden that is ravaged by cottontail rabbits and lily-white - tailed deer . They tend to avoid it , as there are many more palatable options for them to munch on in most garden . Its golden - yellow , monotonic , ferny branch grow somewhat horizontally , but the plant has an overall pyramidal habit . Whether you prefer to prune it to keep it smaller or take into account it to reach full size of it , it will total a vivacious evergreen plant pop to any design . When it is grown in the deep South , ‘ Fernspray Gold ’ apprise a spot in fond shade , and you should water yours more often than I do mine .

4. Calamint

Name:Calaminthanepetasubsp.nepeta

Zones:5–7

Size:12 to 18 inches marvellous and 12 to 24 in wide

precondition : Full sun ; medium to moist , well - drained soil

aboriginal range : Europe ; the Mediterranean region

By far the best plant you ’re not raise is calamint . My making love affair with this works started at the nursery and garden where I work as a teenager . I walked by this puffball of small livid flowers daily throughout that summer , and after having lost pinch for years , we in the end reunited after a plant sale . Now I take the air by it daily at domicile , where it bloom in full sun against the burgundy foliage of ‘ African Night ’ ananas lily ( Eucomis‘African Night ’ , Zones 6–9 ) . Calamint fly high in evenly moist soil and will reflower when softly deadheaded . Though most plants have showy white flowers , some bloom purpleness .

Amanda Bennett is the vice prexy of horticulture and collection at the Atlanta Botanical Garden .

Photos : millettephotomedia.com

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