Native Plants
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Friday - December 21, 2007
From: Angel Fire, NM
Region: Southwest
Topic: Deer Resistant
Title: Deer and rabbit resistant alpine plants for New Mexico
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
What plants, including wildflowers, would you recommend for a somewhat windy, southeast exposure with rocky soil at 9150ft in Angel Fire, New Mexico, that are deer, rabbit, and chipmonk resistant? (I know, I'm a dreamer!)ANSWER:
Well, Mr. Smarty Plants has to agree that this is sort of a tough assignment. There are certainly deer and rabbit resistant native plants that grow in New Mexico, but the list narrows down considerably when they have to be viable at 9000 feet! The University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences has a list of Deer and Rabbit Resistant Plants and the town of Parker, Colorado also has a A Recommended List of Deer & Rabbit Resistant Plants. However, you do need to realize that some of the plants on these two lists are not native to New mexico or even North America. Also, many of the suggested plants wouldn't survive at 9000 feet.Mr. SP has come up with this list of plants native to New Mexico that should be deer/rabbit resistant and capable of growing at 9000 feet. There is one caveat—these plants are "resistant" to grazing by deer and rabbits, there aren't any plants that are deer- or rabbit-proof. If environmental conditions become critical, deer and rabbits may eat plants that normally they would avoid. Also, for some of these plants, the animals may nibble on them a bit even in the best of times and then move on and not destroy them completely. As for chipmunks, we'll have to hope that they are equally repelled by the same plants as the deer and rabbits!
You can look for nurseries and seed companies that specialize in native plants in your area in our National Suppliers Directory.
Achillea millefolium (common yarrow)
Aconitum columbianum (Columbian monkshood)
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (kinnikinnick)
Artemisia cana (silver sagebrush)
Artemisia dracunculus (tarragon)
Artemisia frigida (prairie sagewort)
Castilleja integra (wholeleaf Indian paintbrush)
Cerastium arvense (field chickweed)
Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus (Green rabbitbrush)
Delphinium ramosum (mountain larkspur)
Iris missouriensis (Rocky Mountain iris)
Machaeranthera bigelovii (Bigelow's tansyaster)
Potentilla concinna (Cinquesfoil)
Potentilla gracilis (slender cinquefoil)
Potentilla pensylvanica (Cinquefoil)
Ranunculus macauleyi (Buttercup)
More Deer Resistant Questions
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October 17, 2007 - Which plants would be DEER PROOF, will be with almost full sun and will not die completely during winter? besides some plastic ones =)
It doesn't matter the size, flowers or not.
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Groundcover for Maryland Slope in Deer Country
July 03, 2016 - I have a 20-30% grade hill in Maryland. I am looking for a groundcover plant (for example ivy) that I can plant on the hill. I have the following issues: clay soil, deer, full sun, limited water sourc...
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Deer Resistance and Erosion Control for St. Louis County MO
January 03, 2014 - I am looking for deer and rabbit resistant native plants for erosion control on a steep ravine slope with part sun and part shade in St. Louis County MO.
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March 18, 2009 - My holly bush was eaten by deer. Will the leaves come back or is it done?
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Deer-resistant shrubs for Michigan
January 28, 2009 - I live in deer country. I'm looking for shrubs that are attractive to birds but not to deer. Our soil is sandy. I have a part sun, part-shade situation. I live in zone 6, two miles east of Lake Michi...
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