Explore Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
Can't find the answer in our existing FAQs, submit a question to Mr. Smarty Plants.
Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.
rate this answer
Wednesday - May 06, 2009
From: Ironwood, MI
Region: Midwest
Topic: Deer Resistant
Title: Prunus subhirtella deer resistance in Ironwood MI
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
Is the double flowering prunus pendula subhirtella deer "food"?ANSWER:
Prunus subhirtella 'Pendula" is native to Japan, and therefore out of the range of expertise of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. We are committed to the care, protection and propagation of plants native not only to North America but to the areas in which they are being grown. Natives to an area will require less water, fertilizer and maintenance. In our Deer Resistant Species, which of course is all native plants, we found two members of the Prunus genus, Prunus minutiflora (Texas almond), which was shown to have high deer resistance, and Prunus minutiflora (Texas almond), which had no information on its deer resistance. Members of the Prunus genus, except for the flesh and skin of the fruits, contain hydrocyanic acid, so perhaps the deer have learned to leave them alone, we don't know. You can read this USDA Forest Service website Prunus subhirtella 'Pendula' for more information. Another caution on using this tree: the USDA Plant Profile for it does not show the tree growing in Gogebic County at all. Perhaps this is due to the fact that, on the westermost point of Michigan, you are in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 3b (average annual minimum temperatures -40 to -35 deg. F) to Zone 4a (-30 to -25).
More Deer Resistant Questions
Screening Planter Recommendations for Lakeway TX
May 16, 2012 - I live in Lakeway in a townhome. The parking lot is directly in front of my unit so I always see headlights and cars. The HOA has agreed to build a planter about 4 feet high to help hide the cars. W...
view the full question and answer
Are birdhouse gourds deer-resistant?
January 24, 2009 - Bird house gourds: they smell nasty (to this human being) but I NEED to know if deer are as repelled as a human by the strong odor put off by the plants.
view the full question and answer
Deer resistant, sun tolerant plants for landscaping
April 19, 2007 - I live in Driftwood and am looking for flowering, deer-resistant plants for the northern side of my house; however the house turn just enough to the west that the flowerbed receives about 3 hours of a...
view the full question and answer
Deer Resistant and Drought Tolerant Pink-Flowering Shrub for Austin, TX
April 15, 2013 - Is there a pink-flowering bush that is deer resistant and drought tolerant that would do well in Austin, TX? If not pink flowering, any color of a flowering bush is fine.
view the full question and answer
Deer resistant low-lying plants for Michigan
May 13, 2009 - I want to create a bed of low lying plants (under 4 ft.)in the front of my cottage. The soil is completely sandy and gets eastern sun in the AM. There are many deer in the area.
view the full question and answer
 |
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. Mr. Smarty Plants wants you to be his Facebook friend. Click the Facebook icon to add yourself to Mr. Smarty Plants list of friends. |
