Sheryl Geerts is an editor and author who has nearly three decades of writing and editing experience. Marie Iannotti is a life-long gardener and a veteran Master Gardener with nearly three decades of experience. The whole plant is safe for rabbits, including the flower, leaves and stem. Ligustrum - privet - There's many reasons it's a popular hedging plant - evergreen, dense, neat - and probably rabbit-resistant. But more likely the cotton that you have in your house is made up of blankets and clothing. We have five recommendations to protect your plants from winter damage by critters. Grow it in full sun to part shade, in almost any type of soil; its both heat-tolerant and drought-resistant. Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea) is a perennial plant that provides a fragrant option to keeping rabbits away. Arugula. Best of all, bunnies leave them alone. Where to Plant. Black Eyed Susans are native to North America and are one of the most popular wildflowers grown in gardens. In general, deer tend to avoid strongly scented plants like herbs, plants with thick or leathery leaves such as yucca and thorny plants such as holly and thistle. Rabbits do have an appetite that varies with the different growing periods. This low-care plant is wonderfully drought resistant, too, so you can plant it and enjoy it without much care. Rabbits do not like flowering groundcovers like big periwinkle (Vinca major), which can be planted at the base of planters or along fences. If your lawn erupts with dandelions every year, go ahead and pick some to give to your rabbit (as long as your lawn uses safe fertilizers!). Theyre easy to grow but prefer full sun, although they will tolerate light shade, particularly in hot climates. The Dipladenia Assortment produces beautiful deep red, hot pink or white flowers that are perfect for brightening up your yard and home. They are herbivores and can make a quick meal of your garden. Often, native plants are relatively rabbit resistant more so than non-native (exotic) plants. They're also known to produce nectar that's irresistible to hummingbirds and butterflies, so try creating a beautiful butterfly garden with this plant. Some evidence suggests that lavender can even act as a relaxing agent for rabbits, helping them to calm down and chill out. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Poppies. Rabbits are . That's because, like people, different rabbits have different favorite foods. Look around your garden for pea-sized droppings in small piles, or check your plants for chewed marks. If your bunny has access to an outdoor run, you can feel safe knowing that this fast growing plant wont harm your rabbit. Finally, please note that you should . She enjoys writing about garden, food, and home topics. An innate sense of danger often- but not always- steers animals away from plants that are toxic. Fortunately, a lot of the same plants that deer don't like are also disliked by rabbits. Related: How To: Make and Use Your Own Deer Repellent. So its better to only give your rabbit clover as the occasional yummy treat. Visit the USDA website to determine whether its safe to grow in your region. Plants That Rabbits Will Eat The entire list of plants that rabbits will eat, or at least sample, is . Agave is a long-leaf succulent that forms a rosette shape and is both drought-resistant and perennial. However, please note that this is not a complete list of flowers that are not safe for rabbits to eat. Its best to make sure any indoor potted plants are safe for rabbits, or to keep them completely away from your rabbits reach. Moderation is crucial in a rabbit's healthy diet, containing no more than 5% treats. A nearly indestructible shade garden plant, hellebores bloom in late winter or early spring and produce black, red, pink, white, cream, or green flowers. Along with excellent rabbit resistance, irises offer gorgeous flowers that come in a rainbow of colors. Visit the. They do eat a huge variety of food types. Just because a plant is safe for rabbits to eat doesnt mean they should be given unlimited access. Some gardeners are able to grow sunflowers by sprinkling blood meal, human hair, cow manure, fox urine or other repellants in the garden, or by planting a border of other rabbit-resistant plants around them. As a general rule, plants rabbits dont like include those that have strong scents, spines, prickles, or leathery leaves. Barriers and other deterrents can keep rabbits out of the garden. Julie Thompson-Adolf is a Master Gardener and author. We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Squirrels, deer, and other animals like feeding on the succulent leaves and stems of the bushy perennials. Butterflies and hummingbirds, on the other hand, love the tubular flowers. The flowers are long-lasting and beautiful for cut bouquets. Just a few of these variables include: population and overall health of the rabbits, weather conditions, geography and sources of food naturally available in surrounding woods and forested areas. Growing Conditions: Part to full shade and consistently moist soil. The flowers can be blue, pink, or white, and there can be more than one color of flower on each plant. The leaves can even provide some extra protein for your rabbit. Yarrow is a drought-resistant perennial that does well in zones 3-9. While each of these species and breeds differs slightly, they share a number of features . Your rabbit can eat celery. FAQs. If you are new to caring for rabbits, check out the Bunny Lady bimonthly newsletter. Lilies. Tough vincas are evergreen groundcovers that bear pretty white or blue flowers in shady areas each spring. In fact, rabbits can eat the entire plant. The mints that were talking about here are all in the genus Mentha. Nasturtiums usually grow in a bush, but they can also grow vine-like along a fence or wire. A wonderful ground cover for sunny spots, lamb's ear is adorned with soft, fuzzy silvery leaves that rabbits tend to avoid. Visible signs that rabbits are finding and eating your pumpkins are: Clean Cuts on Plant Parts: Unlike insects and other pests that leave jagged-edged cuts on leaves and other plant parts that they eat, rabbits leave clean cuts. Ajuga plants are evergreen or semi-evergreenand are hardy in zones 3-9. Hot sun and drought are no trouble for these rugged flowers (which should be planted in full sun), and they are loved by pollinators and seed-eating songbirds alike. Dipladenia requires full direct sunlight in areas where it is grown in the ground - at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight per day. These dazzling red flowers might not be a rabbits favorite food, but hummingbirds sure do love them! Their diets include grasses, clover and some cruciferous plants, such as broccoli and Brussels sprouts. Liriope - Grassy groundcover, evergreen and dense, with spires of purple bobbly flowers. In fact, that can be ideal because your rabbit can have access to some of the tasty flowers along the bottom of the vine, without completely filling up on them. All rabbit species are herbivores and as such only eat plant matter. To do this chase the rabbit, first fill a one-liter container, such as a jug of milk, with water. Copyright 2023 Acton Media Inc. All rights reserved. Grow geraniums in full sun and keep the faded flowers removed to encourage reblooming. Stomach pain and cramps. Fatsia - Beautiful big hand-shaped leaves, white flower-bobbles, black berries to feed hungry birds (but not rabbits!) Enhance . Spider flowers grow tall and fast in sunny gardens. Rabbits are eating Alyssum around Zinnias which they are decimating. But the mild toxicity of the flowers and foliage repels rabbits. Begonia foliage ranges from green to an attractive bronze or maroon. (90-120 cm) Hardiness: Keep the flowers deadheaded to encourage repeat blooms. If you have any cotton plants or trees, they are safe for your rabbit to chew on and eat. How to Keep Rabbits Out of the Garden Without 2023 Warner Bros. Whats even better is that clippings from willow trees dont need to be dried like many other types of wood. Try interplanting planting highly fragrant herbs and flowers, plants with prickly, hairy leaves, and toxic plants with your vegetables and ornamentals to help confuse and repel rabbits. Marsh marigolds and french marigolds (also called african marigolds) are mildly toxic and should not be given to rabbits. This clean-cut damage often happens at ground level, as rabbits tend to eat the yummy green shoots of tulips and other plants. Periwinkle is an evergreen flowering groundcover,. The berries of Lantana plants have the highest toxicity. The flowers, leaves and stems are all edible and are not poisonous to rabbits. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. But compounds in the flowers and foliage protect snapdragons from rabbits. Horse nettle (also called bull nettle) is a different kind of plant and is not safe for rabbits to eat. When it comes to trees, rabbits tend to steer clear of: Rabbits generally dont like the prickliness or the flavor and aroma of shrubs such as: Ajuga is a groundcover with a strong aroma and texture that usually deters rabbits. You may only need to plant them once for many years of beautiful summer flowers. Despite these leaf-eating behaviors, not all plants are completely safe for rabbits to eat. They won't have to worry about scavenging to survive. Still, there are some plants that are so tasty to rabbits that merely to plant them is to risk inviting rabbits to take up residence in your yard. Sunflowers are another type of flower that is safe for bunnies to eat. Rabbits usually enter gardens from adjoining common land, farms or woods. Rabbits grazing in your flower beds will simply eat around the less enticing plants. If you're in doubt about whether or not a particular flower is OK for your pet to eat, the safest choice is to avoid feeding it to your bunny. Periwinkle is typically a perennial and blooms in midsummer. Though the leaves are its best feature, lamb's ears also produces spikes of pink flowers throughout the summer. Sprinkle with five cloves of garlic and dip them in water. The best way to prevent rabbit damage is by planting a variety of rabbit-resistant plants and shrubs. Plant snapdragons in full to partial sunlight. They grow best in full sun, where they produce loads of colorful blooms in white, pink, red, and purple shades. The Century Plant is one of the most popular Agave varieties for gardens. Ideally fences should be of 2.5cm (1-1in) wire mesh and 120-140cm (48-54in) in height. Its perfectly safe to allow your rabbit to eat as much grass from out on your lawn as they want. Depending on the variety, salvia blooms may be cream, orange, lavender, pink, red, purple or blue on plants with green, gray-green or silvery green leaves. It would be nice if there were plants that are truly rabbit-proof, but as with other animals, rabbits can surprise you. As mentioned, dipladenia plants require a great deal of sun, so try to locate your plant in full sun. These long-lived perennials are resilient as long as you stake up their heavy late springtime flowers to keep them from spilling on the ground after a heavy rain. 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