Deer Resistant Shrubs for Hedges
- In early spring, new plant growth attracts deer.Design Pics/Valueline/Getty Images
As suburbs sprawl into new areas, many homeowners find themselves faced with roaming deer populations foraging for food, especially during winter months. Landscapers and gardeners living in these areas must choose shrubs the animals avoid based on their texture, smell or toxicity. Deer damage to landscaping and hedges is usually irreversible. The best defense is the proper choice of plants. - Japanese barberry is optimal for barrier plantings.barberry image by AGphotographer from Fotolia.com
Japanese barberry (Barberis thunbergii) is a thorny landscaping shrub commonly used for hedges. Red berries and foliage provide fall appeal. Japanese barberry grows best in USDA hardiness zones 5 through 8. This deciduous shrub prefers sun or partial shade and tolerates many soil conditions except constant wetness. Growing 3 to 6 feet tall, it spreads 4 to 7 feet wide. Japanese barberry forms a dense well-rounded shape with plentiful branches. During spring and summer, it exhibits bright-green leaves and yellow flowers that hide in the foliage. This deer-resistant perennial shrub is easy to plant and maintain. In addition, it tolerates drought and urban conditions. - Forsythia is tolerant of partial shade and urban conditions.Forsythia ?--- intermedia image by Pepie from Fotolia.com
Forsythia (Forsythia x intermedia) is a fast-growing deer resistant shrub that tolerates many types of soils. Growing 8 to 10 feet tall, it spreads 10 to 12 feet wide. New shoots are upright and arching causing the shrub to spread quickly. This deciduous shrub displays medium- to dark-green leaves that turn yellow-green in fall. Bright yellow flowers appear in clusters of two to six in March and April. Blooms of the forsythia provide a showy display for two to three weeks. To encourage abundant blooms, gardeners plant forsythia in full sun. This hardy shrub is easy to establish and care for, although it is challenging to keep looking tidy. Occasional pruning may be required. Landscapers use forsythia for borders, hedges, screens and mass plantings. The shrub is hardy in climates with winter temperatures no lower than minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit. - Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago) is native to eastern North American and hardy up to USDA zone 2. Growing 12 to 18 feet tall, it spreads in an irregular rounded shape. Commonly used to create shrub borders, it is deer resistant. New foliage emerges light green turning to a darker shiny green when mature. Leaves grow 2 to 5 inches long. In fall, foliage of the nannyberry often changes to purple-red, although colors are not dependable. Small creamy flower clusters appear in May and offer a showy display with clusters spreading up to 4 1/2 inches in diameter. Nannyberry thrives in shade or sun. It is tolerant of various soils and conditions and transplants easily. In addition to borders and hedges, nannyberry is frequently a gardener's choice for naturalizing areas or creating a barrier.
