Deer-Resistant Plants in Texas
- Deer can be problematic for gardeners.cemetery deer image by robert mobley from Fotolia.com
One of the pleasures of a garden is observing the wildlife it attracts. However, frustrations can arise when deer make a meal of your landscaping. The abundant wildlife of Texas makes choosing deer-resistant plants an important issue for gardeners, particularly in rural areas. Although there is no sure-fire way of preventing deer from feasting on your garden, choosing native and introduced species that are naturally deer-resistant is a good place to start. - Shrubs attract deer year-round, providing foliage in the summer and tender wood in the winter. Few shrubs are truly deer-proof, although some have a high degree of resistance due to unpalatable or mildly toxic substances in the foliage or bark. Although technically a small tree, red buckeye (Aesculus pavia) is frequently pruned into a shrub. The large, hand-shaped compound leaves and showy red flowers work well in gardens and are naturally adapted to growing in Texas. It has an extremely bitter taste to deer and causes gastrointestinal discomfort when ingested, so it is generally avoided.
Common snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) is native to most of the United States and is commonly grown in gardens. It is a 3 to 6-foot-tall shrub with dark-green, ovate leaves and clusters of small white berries in the autumn. Deer do not bother snowberry because of its mild toxicity and bitter taste. Ashbush (Leucophyllum frutescens) is a Texas native plant known for its silvery leaves and lavender blossoms. Sometimes called cenizo, it is prized by gardeners in Texas for its ability to withstand deer foraging because of its pungent scent and bitter taste. - Due to the vigorous regeneration of many types of vines, deer quickly learn that they are a rapidly renewing food source. Luckily, many vines are not attractive to deer and some even repel them. Potato vine (Solanum jasminoides) is an ornamental vine grown for its showy, star-shaped flowers. It is a semi-hardy plant in most areas of Texas, reaching 15 feet or more in height during its first growing season. Deer will not bother potato vine due to its toxicity and unpleasant, soapy taste.
Carolina jasmine (Gelsemium sempervirens), or jessamine, is a woody vine native to the southeastern United States. Grown for its large, trumpet-shaped yellow flowers, Carolina jasmine is a good choice in deer-prone areas. Although deer browse the plant, any growth lost is quickly replenished. Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata) is another native plant that resists deer beautifully. Although deer will investigate the foliage and flowers of crossvine, an irritating sap present in all parts of the plant causes mild mouth and throat burning, and it will quickly be abandoned as a food source. - Flowers are a prime target for deer, particularly in spring when they are tender and full of nutrients. Flowers and plants with an intense fragrance are generally less attractive to deer, as it indicates the presence of potentially irritating oils in the foliage. All varieties of sage (Salvia) are a wise choice for deer-prone gardens because of their scent and hairy foliage. Mealy blue sage (S. farinacea) and cedar sage (S. roemeriana) are particularly deer resistant due to their aromatic properties and the coarse nature of their foliage.
Nicotiana (Nicotiana alata) is a popular flower grown for its white, trumpet-shaped blooms. Sweetly fragrant at night, nicotiana repels deer with its coarse, sticky leaves, which are toxic when ingested. Exotic looking and dramatic, gloriosa lily (Gloriosa superba) is a common addition to gardens in southeastern Texas. The crinkled red and yellow flowers make a bold statement in gardens and are highly unattractive to deer; if eaten, it causes intense stomach distress.
