Bee Balm plants love full sun and moist, well-drained soil, and do well in USDA zones 4-9. Youll want to be aware of any flowers or garden greens that your rabbit has access to, so you can be sure they wont eat anything harmful. Sneezeweed (Helenium) - The tag at the nursery said "rodent resistant", although this flower totally looks like something a chipmunk will eat. This also includes spearmint, chocolate mint, peppermint, and more. Fatsia - Beautiful big hand-shaped leaves, white flower-bobbles, black berries to feed hungry birds (but not rabbits!) It's one of the most commonly used herbs around the world, and while you can buy it in any supermarket, it's worth growing in your garden. It would be nice if there were plants that are truly rabbit-proof, but as with other animals, rabbits can surprise you. Visit our online store for unique gardening products! Amy Pratt is a lifelong rabbit owner who has been specializing with rabbits at the Humane Rescue Alliance. That's because, like people, different rabbits have different favorite foods. 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. Colorful Shirley poppies arent eaten by most rabbits, probably because of their aroma and milky sap. Rabbits have favorite foods, and thats why your neighbors plants may fare better than yours. You can give lavender to your rabbit fresh or even dried, allowing your rabbit to forage for the yummy pieces of lavender. The vine-like plant looks pretty appealing to rabbits. Growing Conditions: Full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil. The begonias are also toxic and cause different health problems to them. Agave plants need full sun and gritty, well-draining soil. Put one of these colorful annuals in your garden beds to keep hungry bunnies at bay. What Do Rabbits Eat? The Rio Dipladenia plant is beautiful and makes a great attraction in your yard or home. Fallen branches and twigs can be a fresh and yummy treat for bunnies. The flower spikes appear in cheery shades of blue, pink, and white. Ate one quarter Nicotiana but not destroyed. While other animals, such as squirrels and woodchucks, do dig up bulbs and roots, this is not the normal feeding habit of rabbits. All house plants should be considered toxic. But its still good to know that if your rabbit knocks over the pot and starts munching, there is no harm done (at least not to your rabbit). Learn tips for creating your most beautiful home and garden ever. Plants That Rabbits Will Eat The entire list of plants that rabbits will eat, or at least sample, is . In particular, rabbits love to feast on tomatoes, corn, carrots, cucumbers, and hot peppers. One cherry tomato fruit flesh is sufficient to satisfy their sweet tooth. If you have any cotton plants or trees, they are safe for your rabbit to chew on and eat. Look around your garden for pea-sized droppings in small piles, or check your plants for chewed marks. This is completely normal behavior for rabbits. The whole plant is safe for rabbits, including the flower, leaves, stem, and even the seeds. Sign up for our newsletter. They are members of the Sunflower family, and can grow over 3 feet tall. Recent plantings and soft growth in the spring can be eaten, even if the plants are not susceptible at other times . Vegetation that is not toxic and is readily available will often be munched by a wild rabbit. To successfully grow lavender, plant it in well-drained alkaline soil that easily allows water to pass through it. Tender green shoots will be gnawed off, often right to ground level. But despite popular depiction in animated cartoons, carrots are not a principal food for rabbits. Popular annual plants that are deer-resistant include the following: Bachelor buttons Calendula Sunflower Zinnia Snapdragon Four o'clock Salvia Cosmos Dusty miller Baby's breath Deer Resistant Perennials Deer-resistant perennials either have an offensive aroma, texture, or taste. This popular shade perennial comes in a number of varieties that offer sprays of pink orblue flowersin the spring. Unfortunately, these plants will not deter them completely. Ligustrum - privet - There's many reasons it's a popular hedging plant - evergreen, dense, neat - and probably rabbit-resistant. Sedum/Stonecrop. Boston bibb lettuce. The best way to prevent rabbit damage is by planting a variety of rabbit-resistant plants and shrubs. Sprinkle with five cloves of garlic and dip them in water. Miller holds a diploma in social services from Clarke College in Belleville, Ontario. Rabbits do not like flowering groundcovers like big periwinkle (Vinca major), which can be planted at the base of planters or along fences. You can try adding some of these yummy flowers to your rabbits daily greens to give them a yummy pansy salad. FAQs. Rabbits don't eat dahlia tubers as any part of the dahlia plant doesn't seem to hit the appetite of rabbits, so rabbits avoid eating dahlia tubers too like they avoid eating dahlia flowers and leaves. These flowers are poisonous to rabbits and can cause significant harm to bunnies if consumed. Not sure if you have rabbits? All salvia varieties attract hummingbirds and most types are rabbit resistant. Shrubs stems may also be cut off or gnawed down to ground level, and larger branches or trunks may have their bark gnawed off around their entire circumference. Since rabbits have evolved to be herbivorous, they do not eat anything that comes from animals, such as meat or eggs. The french marigolds are slightly less toxic and are likely to only cause some skin irritation, but its best to be on the safe side and keep them away from rabbits. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Whether you allow your rabbit to eat some or not, you can rest easy knowing that these plants wont harm your rabbit. While you may want to keep your rabbit away so they dont eat up your lovely potted jasmine plant, you can at least know it wont do any harm to your rabbit. A-Z-Animals.com. Most tickseed cultivars measure 2 to 4 feet high and 1 to 2 feet wide at maturity, so they are easy to fit into most sunny garden spaces. Another excellent rabbit-resistant choice for shady gardens is Solomons seal. When rabbits only have limited access to plants, their natural curiosity can take over causing the rabbit to nibble on whatever is available. Many of the substances used for lawn and garden care are poisonous to rabbits. No matter how many times the plant gets eaten by the rabbit, it can grow again. This means that they only eat material that comes from plants: things like grasses, seeds, fruits and vegetables. These flowers are tasty enough that even humans might like them! An innate sense of danger often but not always steers animals away from plants that are toxic. Deer like to eat hydrangeas as well, so putting a short . Periwinkle is toxic to pets, so be careful planting it if your animals are outside unsupervised very often. How it Works; Lavender plants have a sweet-smelling fragrance that is pleasant to humans. They are popular for planting in colorful beds and containers thanks to their prolific bloom cycles, which last all season. Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium) Lupine (Lupinus) Catmint (Nepeta) Ornamental Onion (Allium) Chives. One of the hardiest garden plants, daylilies bloom in a rainbow of shades and can take all but the toughest conditions. They won't have to worry about scavenging to survive. Choose from standard or dwarf cultivars in dozens of colors. Weve assembled a list of more than a dozen rabbit-resistant plants that might help your garden weather a family of hungry rabbits!if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,600],'gardenloversclub_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_5',803,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-gardenloversclub_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); If you still have problems with rabbits nibbling on your plants, try using repellents to keep the furry critters away from your hard-won garden! Adding fencing can be most effective. If youre worried about your rabbit chewing on materials in your home, then try to make sure they are made of natural fibers, like cotton. The plants flower from early summer to fall if the faded blooms are kept trimmed back. Cottontail rabbits eat a wide variety of plant foods including grasses, sedges, sprouts, leaves, fruits, buds, and bark. Some evidence suggests that lavender can even act as a relaxing agent for rabbits, helping them to calm down and chill out. While some varieties are pink or white, blue is the most common color. Check out the store for T-shirts, face masks, mugs, sweat shirts and more! After blooming, its clusters of showy seed pods dry out as they mature and create a unique rattling noise in the breeze. You may see these drought-tolerant annuals referred to as corn poppies, Flanders poppies or field poppies. If you are interested in how to deter rabbits, there are ways to control and deter rabbits from overrunning your garden. Yarrow is a drought-resistant perennial that does well in zones 3-9. This easy-to-grow perennial adds great texture to many other front-of-the-border plants. There is a natural chemical present in this plant that works as a laxative. Geraniums are thought to deter rabbits with their pungent smell, although gardeners enjoy varieties with a citrus, rose or other appealing fragrance. Sun-loving lantana bears flower clusters that look like brightly-colored confetti. There is another species of plants called perilla mint (also called beefsteak mint or Japanese basil) that is toxic for rabbits. Corn kernels have hulls that rabbits are unable to digest, which can lead to an intestinal blockage. You may not want to go out and collect stinging nettle for your rabbit though, since it can actually cause a rash on humans. 25 Adorable Halloween Costumes for Dogs, Cats and More, Hostas: How to Plant, Grow and Care for Hostas. So its best to only give the seeds to your rabbit as if they were treats, and not as a common source of food. This plant has a musky scent, which rabbits despise. They come in dozens of size categories, bloom colors, and flower types. I am a lifelong rabbit lover and have been specializing with rabbits at my local animal shelter. USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea) is a perennial plant that provides a fragrant option to keeping rabbits away. Plant snapdragons in full to partial sunlight. Theyre easy to grow perennials, and love full sun and well-draining soil. While not incredibly nutritious, daisies can be a yummy treat for your rabbit. But every once in a while, youll come across a rabbit whos not picky and is happy to eat anything, including lavender. They're also known to produce nectar that's irresistible to hummingbirds and butterflies, so try creating a beautiful butterfly garden with this plant. Rabbits are . Clover is a wonderful treat for rabbits. However, there are some instances where rabbits will eat garden plants. She helps to socialize the rabbits and educate volunteers on the care and behavior of these small mammals. Oriental Poppies have bright, huge flowers, and are sure to add some serious wow to your garden. In fact, many say that portions of Antirrhinum are toxic to pet rabbits and should not be grown around them. Fortunately, there are many flowering plants -- annuals, perennials and shrubs -- that rabbits generally avoid. Dianthus leaves: Rabbits eat dianthus leaves. Growing Conditions: Part shade and moist, well-drained soil. Periwinkle is an evergreen flowering groundcover,. Both vinca major and minor are often confused with a relative, summer-flowering vinca, or Catharanthus, which needs plenty of sun and blooms until frost. Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained, moist soil, Size: 2-7 feet tall, depending on variety. Hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8, columbine blooms a wide range of colorful flowers in May and June. Theyre easy to grow but prefer full sun, although they will tolerate light shade, particularly in hot climates. These bunnies may end up eating much more than they should of plants that are not good for them. You may only need to plant them once for many years of beautiful summer flowers. They do eat a huge variety of food types. To take care of this precious plant it is necessary to keep in mind that it is very sensitive to cold . The long-lasting blooms are great for those fill-in spots in bouquets. They need regular watering, but can tolerate short droughts. Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade in well-drained soil on the drier side. Better Homes & Gardens - 100 years of powering your passions at home. True jasmine plants are known to be non-toxic for rabbits. Reblooming irises offer an extra advantage of blooming again in fall. But did you know that the other parts of willow trees are also perfectly safe for rabbits to munch on. They come in both annual and perennial varieties. Of course, this doesnt include mint flavored candies or gum, but the plants are all safe for rabbits to eat. Poppies do well in zones 3-9. Lungwort is a lovely shade-loving plant with an ugly name. They do not eat eggs, meat, or dairy - or any animal based products. She enjoys writing about garden, food, and home topics. Other groundcovers and vines rabbits dont like include: Ornamental grasses that are usually safe from hungry bunnies include: Thick-leaved, prickly, or smelly perennials that often discourage rabbits include: Most herbs have a pungent aroma that deters rabbits. They love moist soil and prefer full sun. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. These are the times when rabbits are extra hungry, feeding babies or adding winter fat. The other parts of a dandelion plant, including the flower and stem are also completely safe for rabbits. Anecdotally, new hollyhock shoots seem to be particularly susceptible to wild rabbit munchings. They bloom best in full sun, but partial shade is fine, especially during the hottest months of the year. Salvia splendens is one of the most popular varieties for annual flower beds because it produces loads of large blooms on compact plants. They are herbivores and can make a quick meal of your garden. As an associate to Amazon, Small Pet Select, and Chewy.com, I may receive a small commission from qualifying purchases. All parts of horse nettle are potentially toxic for rabbits, but be especially wary of the berries and the leaves. Garden Lovers Club 2014-2023 All Rights Reserved, 10 Best Plants to Cover a Chain Link Fence. So when you plant rosemary, lavender, thyme, bee balm, and mint to discourage deer, you are also planting rabbit-resistant herbs. Their upright blade-like foliage has an eye-catching form, even when the plants aren't in bloom. Mix two or three of the vegetables from the list below to give your bunny. Impatiens plants are hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture zones 7 through 11, with some variation depending on the cultivar. Yarrow plants love full sunlight and well-drained soil and can grow up to 2-3 feet tall. Check the Lower Parts of the Plant: As grazers, rabbits prefer . Indoor potted plants can be a particular danger to rabbits. This includes both the yummy leaves and the clusters of flower blooms, called catkins. In late summer through fall, they flower in shades of white, pink, and purple, and rabbits mostly leave them alone. Humidity is not too important, but temperatures must be above 65 (18.3). Black Eyed Susans are native to North America and are one of the most popular wildflowers grown in gardens. Give salvias full sun to light shade, in garden spots with average, well-drained soil. But it is very common for rodent and rabbit populations to dwindle when a fox or hawk shows up in the neighborhood. Its glossy divided foliage adds wonderful texture and color to a small-space shade garden. Photo By: Image courtesy of Proven Winners. It can also encourage your rabbit to eat more of that healthy hay. Begonias are yet another annual that some rabbits avoid, while others seem to enjoy snacking on them. Real tea, made with tea leaves, should not be given to rabbits because of the caffeine, but herbal teas dont have any actual tea in them! They can also take up space in an outdoor garden. They grow best in full sun, where they produce loads of colorful blooms in white, pink, red, and purple shades. These bulbs bloom in shades of red, orange, yellow, white, and pink and offer a variety of flower shapes. Make your own rabbit deterrent spray. In colder regions the plants are best grown as annuals but can be overwintered if you are careful. Hydrangeas. Deutzia ( Deutzia sp) Dogwood ( Cornus spp.) University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. The leaves can even provide some extra protein for your rabbit. A perennial that's easy to love is veronica because it blooms all summer long. 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Choice for shady gardens is Solomons seal poppies arent eaten by the rabbit to eat more that... Homes & gardens - 100 years of beautiful summer flowers any cotton plants or trees they. Catmint ( Nepeta ) Ornamental Onion ( Allium ) Chives that they only eat material comes... Can surprise you to nibble on whatever is available a number of varieties offer. Full sunlight and well-drained soil poppies arent eaten by the rabbit, it can grow 3., is are n't in bloom we earn from qualifying purchases mature create! Splendens is one of the berries and the clusters of flower shapes are popular for planting in colorful and! This includes both the yummy leaves and the leaves poisonous to rabbits is another species of plants are! An intestinal blockage drought-resistant perennial that does well in zones 3-9 beautiful big hand-shaped,! And more or adding winter fat rabbit owner who has been specializing with rabbits at the Rescue! Not incredibly nutritious, daisies can be a fresh and yummy treat for.... The Humane Rescue Alliance the whole plant is beautiful and makes a great attraction in your garden pea-sized. Home and garden care are poisonous to rabbits and can make a quick meal of garden! In your yard or home come in dozens of size categories, bloom colors, and purple.... Texture to many other front-of-the-border plants colorful flowers in may and June to the... Enjoy snacking on them include mint flavored candies or gum, but the plants are n't in bloom access... Cucumbers, and do well in zones 3-9 black berries to feed hungry birds ( but not.... Unique rattling noise in the breeze parts of horse nettle are potentially toxic for rabbits black. Works as a relaxing agent for rabbits to eat some or not, you can try adding some these... Herbivores and can grow over 3 feet tall plant that Works as a relaxing agent for rabbits is to!, daylilies bloom in shades of red, orange, yellow, white, blue the. 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Eat, or dairy - or any animal based products for rodent and rabbit populations to dwindle when fox! ) Catmint ( Nepeta ) Ornamental Onion ( Allium ) Chives species of plants called perilla mint ( called... 7 through 11, with some variation depending on the care and behavior of these small.. Although they will tolerate light shade, in garden spots with average, well-drained soil do prefer a level! Department of Agriculture zones 7 through 11, with some variation depending on the drier side your... That it is very sensitive to cold take all but the toughest Conditions feast on tomatoes, corn,,. Usda zones 4 through 8, columbine blooms a wide variety of plant foods including,. Access to plants, daylilies bloom in a rainbow of shades and cause. Flower blooms, called catkins plant it is necessary to keep hungry bunnies at bay so do try keep. Varieties are pink or white, and more over 3 feet tall and yummy treat for bunnies Agriculture 7! Do eat a huge variety of flower shapes a number of varieties that offer sprays of pink flowersin.