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February 12, 2021 2 min read

Do deer eat viburnums? Many viburnums are evergreen trees and shrubs, but we love them for their beautiful layered flowers. These lovely plants can transform the appeal of your lawn with their vibrant colors. Many of them are partial to the sun, although they can also do well in partly shaded areas. They are also incredibly versatile – you can use them as hedges or decorative plants on your porch. Some viburnum varieties also find use in traditional medicine. Suppose you want to cultivate viburnum in your garden. In that case, you may consider the kind of pests and diseases you may encounter. Spined soldier bugs, lacewings, and lady beetles are common pests to prepare against. However, do deer eat viburnums?

Deer resistant viburnums

Deer do not like viburnum. So you can choose any of its varieties to cultivate. Some of them include arrowwood viburnum, blackhaw viburnum, cranberry bush, double-file viburnum, Judd viburnum, Korean spice viburnum, leatherleaf viburnum. This is because viburnum usually has densely hairy shoots and leaves, making them irritable to deer. Their powerful aroma is also another reason why deer would mostly leave them alone. Some viburnums may again bounce back after deer damage. For instance, the Sweet viburnum (viburnum odoratissiumum) responds well to heavy pruning. So you have nothing to worry about with that variety.

Where viburnums before deer food

No plant is entirely deer-proof. Even viburnums can become edible food sources for deer if they have no other food options. If you don’t want your prized showy ornamental fruits and plants to become deer interests, especially in winter, protect them. Deer may also eat your viburnums at the early stages when you have tender shoots and buds at the ends. Your first line of protection against deer is repellents. An excellent commercial repellent can make it even more difficult for deer to have an appetite for your viburnums. However, you need to apply your repellents religiously, especially after it rains or snows. You also need to rotate between repellents to keep up the surprise.

You can also consider a small cage fashioned out of chicken wire or deer netting to protect your viburnum patches. Nevertheless, the most effective to keep deer off is an eight-foot fence. Concerning that deer deterrent choice, you can choose between a wire, electric, and wooden wall. It is also possible to install a shorter fence. This time, you can choose between a double and slanted fence. No matter your choice, keep your fence secured to the ground. That way, deer cannot go under and into your garden.

Concluding thoughts

Do deer eat viburnums? No, they don’t. Many viburnum evergreens, semi-evergreens, and deciduous shrubs are deer-resistant. They also require low maintenance, which makes them excellent choices to repel deer. Viburnum also provides gorgeous foliage and abundant blooms, which is a great advantage all around. However, no plant is entirely deer-proof. Therefore, it is diligent to safeguard your viburnums from deer damage. This is especially important during the early stages.

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