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Thursday - January 19, 2012
From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Deer Resistant
Title: Central Texas plants highly deer resistant from Austin
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
I'm helping a friend who has a severe deer problem in Westlake. The Deer Resistant list includes over 300 species, but they are classified as "mild" or "moderate" or "high" Deer Resistance. Is there anyway to get a list sorted that only has the High Deer Resistant plants? Thanks,ANSWER:
You are correct, the plants that mention any resistance to deer at all will even include those with "minimal resistance," on our Deer Resistant List. Please read again this paragraph from the list of Deer Resistant Plants:
"Few plants are completely deer resistant. Several factors influence deer browsing including the density of the deer population, environmental conditions such as drought, and plant palatability. Deer tend to avoid plants with aromatic foliage, tough leathery and/or hairy or prickly leaves or plants with milky latex or sap. Try using some of the plants listed here to minimize deer damage to your landscape."
What they are saying is that if chidren are hungry enough, they will eat vegetables, and if deer are hungry enough they will eat your shoelaces if you don't keep moving. We have noted that various prairie grasses tend not to be browsed as much as blooming plants. Also, many of the members of the Asclepias, milkweed, genus have the milky latex that deer do not like. Here is a list of 47 plants that are qualified as "Highly Resistant" and native to Central Texas. Follow each plant link to our webpage on this plant to learn when it blooms, what soil it needs, water, etc.
Amorpha fruticosa (Indigo bush)
Andropogon gerardii (Big bluestem)
Andropogon glomeratus (Bushy bluestem)
Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii (Flame acanthus)
Asclepias incarnata (Swamp milkweed)
Asclepias tuberosa (Butterflyweed)
Asclepias viridis (Green antelopehorn)
Bauhinia lunarioides (Anacacho orchid tree)
Bouteloua curtipendula (Sideoats grama)
Chrysactinia mexicana (Damianita)
Dasylirion texanum (Texas sotol)
Eryngium leavenworthii (Leavenworth's eryngo)
Hesperaloe parviflora (Red yucca)
Hilaria belangeri var. belangeri (Curly-mesquite)
Lantana urticoides (Texas lantana)
Leucophyllum frutescens (Cenizo)
Mahonia swaseyi (Texas barberry)
Mahonia trifoliolata (Agarita)
Melampodium leucanthum (Blackfoot daisy)
Mimosa borealis (Fragrant mimosa)
Monarda citriodora (Lemon beebalm)
Monarda fistulosa (Wild bergamot)
Muhlenbergia lindheimeri (Lindheimer's muhly)
Muhlenbergia reverchonii (Seep muhly)
Nolina texana (Texas sacahuista)
Oenothera speciosa (Pink evening primrose)
Panicum virgatum (Switchgrass)
Passiflora lutea (Yellow passion vine)
Phacelia congesta (Blue curls)
Pistacia mexicana (Mexican pistachio)
Platanus occidentalis (American sycamore)
Ratibida columnifera (Mexican hat)
Rhus aromatica (Fragrant sumac)
Rudbeckia hirta (Black-eyed susan)
Salvia coccinea (Scarlet sage)
Salvia engelmannii (Engelmann's sage)
Salvia farinacea (Mealy blue sage)
Salvia roemeriana (Cedar sage)
Sapindus saponaria var. drummondii (Western soapberry)
Schizachyrium scoparium (Little bluestem)
Senna roemeriana (Twoleaf senna)
Sophora secundiflora (Texas mountain laurel)
Sorghastrum nutans (Indiangrass)
Ungnadia speciosa (Mexican buckeye)
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