Belated response to deer "problem"
- To: m*@ucdavis.edu
- Subject: Belated response to deer "problem"
- From: P* H* <p*@nevco.k12.ca.us>
- Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1999 08:15:24 -0800
IT WAS ASKED: Does anyone out there have a truly tried and tested list
or any experience w/California natives that deer really won't eat?
I am not surprised to see the number of fence-related responses to the
deer vs. garden problem. It seems to be an innate human response to
insulate and protect ourselves from undesirables with a barrier, be it a
fence, a gated community or a border patrol. A fence, however, is a
pretty high aesthetic price to pay for peace of mind. Isn’t anyone
interested in coexisting/gardening peacefully with deer? A lot of native
plants manage to do it.
As others have noted, fences have big aesthetic drawbacks that are
counterproductive to our goals to create beauty with our plant
collections and designs. That said, I confess I have cylinders of
chicken wire surrounding young maple and fruit trees. Also I have an
effective barrier (7-foot black bird netting) surrounding my
1,000-square-foot rock garden. In two or three years, however, I will
remove this nearly invisible (from a distance) barrier and let the deer
have at it. The fence has only one, temporary, purpose: to keep the deer
at bay long enough to get a few deer-resistent shrubs big enough to
survive deer browsing. (Almost daily, between 2 and 10 deer browse the
native vegetation near my house.) Otherwise, I’d guess that 80 percent
of my garden is planted with reliably deer-resistent plants. More than
half of these plants are native to my county (Nevada County, CA). I
believe, in the long run, it’s cheaper and easier for wildland gardeners
to work with nature, rather than fight it.
I’d be happy to give more suggestions about how to use bird netting, if
anyone is interested. It is inexpensive and surprisingly effective. It
seems to confuse deer. They probably can’t see it very well (especially
at night), so they’re not sure how high or far to jump. One key to
success is to keep the bottom of the netting staked to the ground, so
deer can’t slip under it.
A last word on fences: All the garden and ag experts in our area
recommend a 10-foot fence to deer-proof a garden or orchard. But another
drawback to this here (maybe elsewhere) is that our tax assessor
considers a 10-foot fence a structure which can be assessed for property
tax.
As an alternative to fences, barking dogs, deer rifles and sprays, may I
suggest these reliably deer resistant California natives:
• Lupine, especially bush lupines. I highly recommend the
drought-tolerant Lupinus albifrons (blue flowering silver bush lupine)
and lupinus arboreus (native California coastal bush lupine that has
both blue flowering and yellow flowering forms). Lupinus polyphyllus
(for richer, moister soil) and any of the annual wildflower lupines are
useful and beautiful, low-maintenance garden plants, too.
• Western bleeding heart (Dicentra formosa).
• Manzanita (Arctostaphyllos spp.). Some very nice cultivars out there.
• Western redbud (Cercis occidentalis)
• Native ferns, especially Woodwardia fimbriata (Giant Chain Fern) and
Polystichem munitum (Sword Fern). Keep in mind that many native ferns
are surprisingly tolerant of dry conditions, although heat and a lot sun
should be avoided.
• Aromatic salvias: s. sonomensis, s. clevelandii (and cultivars), s.
apiana, s. leucophylla and dozens of others native and non-native. Stay
away from herbaceous varieties, like many of the fall-bloomers.
• Coyote mint (Monardella spp.)
• California poppy (Escscholzia californica)
• Rabbit Brush/Chamisa (Chrysothamnus nauseosus)
• Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolia and others)
• Mullein (Verbascum spp.)
• Mule’s ears (Wyethia sp.)
• Foxglove (Digitalis) — not a native, per se, but has naturalized
throughout California. Indispensable in the formal or wild garden.
• Many bunch grasses, sedges and rushes.
• Irises (Douglas iris) Also Yellow Flag, Dutch iris, bearded iris, etc.
• Lepechinia calycina (Pitcher Sage, pungent leaves, but not a salvia)
• Trees: Yews, firs, pines, hemlock, some oaks.
California natives usually listed as “deer resistant,” but are
occasionally browsed. Worth a try because of other attributes:
• California fuchsia (Zauschneria spp.).
• Monkey flower (Mimulus spp.)
• Chaparral pea (Pickeringia montana)
• Native California or Rocky Mountain region (not border variety)
penstemons
• Fremontodendron
• Ceonothus spp. Some species/hybrids resist deer better than others.
• Aesculus californica (Buckeye)
• Calycanthus occidentalis (Spice Bush)
California natives frequently listed as “deer resistant,” but are NOT
(in my experience):
• Yarrow (Achillea millefolium. sp.). They won’t kill it, but they’ll
keep it mowed down.
• Matilija poppy (Romneya coulteri).
• Columbines (Aquilegia sp.) — Native A. formosa might work better than
McKana hybrids and other cultivars.
• Cinquefoils (Potentilla spp.)
A few (of many) reliably deer-resistent Mediterranean and other
non-native plants that I have exposed to deer:
• Crocosmia “Lucifer” (trust me!)
• Nepeta
• Santolina
• Phlomis
• Perovskia
• Stachys
• Rhododendron, azalea
• and, of course, our stinky old friends Thymus, Rosemarinus and
Lavendula.
Don’t forget that browsing isn’t the only deer problem. Male deer also
tear up small shrubs and trees scraping off their antler velvet during
the fall rut. So, otherwise “deer resistant” native shrubs like Cercis
occidentalis (western redbud) can be severely damaged when their bark is
shredded off. I’m not sure if this is a problem in more urban areas.
FINALLY, there are lots of deer-resistent plant lists out there (for
one, “Deer-Resistent Plants For Ornamental Use,” pamphlet #2167
published by UC Division of Agricultural Sciences), but deer and rabbit
appetites seem to vary widely, depending on locality. The best advice is
old-fashioned trial and error. Second best advice: Don’t expect hybrid
tea roses to survive long in deer country — even on a deck!
Good luck, all.
Paul Harrar
Nevada City, CA (Zone 7, 2,700 feet)
