Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

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.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
1 rating

Friday - October 25, 2013

From: Wimberley, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Invasive Plants, Non-Natives, Pests, Problem Plants, Deer Resistant, Grasses or Grass-like
Title: Do white-tailed deer consume King Ranch bluestem?
Answered by: Guy Thompson

QUESTION:

Will white-tail deer in central Texas consume King Ranch bluestem ?

ANSWER:

King Ranch bluestem was introduced from Asia and found growing at the King Ranch about 80 years ago.  It was apparently introduced to reduce erosion on degraded rangeland and was planted along many roadsides for the same purpose.  It is a poor quality forage for cattle compared with some of our native grasses.  Because it is so invasive it has choked out quite a few of our native wildflowers, and it is widely considered to be a serious pest.

I think it is fair to say that white-tailed deer seldom if ever graze on KR bluestem.  In the first place, deer are primarily browsers of forbs and shrubby vegetation and consume grass only in time of starvation.  Even then, other, more nutritious grasses are much preferred because the thin leaves and stems of KR bluestem contain so little protein.  In  short, KR bluestem has no natural enemies in Central Texas, and environmentalists who endeavor to restore native prairie grasses to the area are finding no effective way to eliminate it.

Bummer!

 

More Deer Resistant Questions

Jasminum polyanthum Deer Resistant and Native?
March 07, 2015 - Are Jasminum polyanthum deer resistant? They are selling these plants at Trader Joe's right now so I'm assuming it's native to our area. But the instructions don't say anything about deer.
view the full question and answer

Using Sound to Repel Deer
July 15, 2013 - We have several motion activated water scarecrows for deer intrusions and have heard about sound scarecrows. Do you know if they are effective and do they bother pets such as cats, birds, etc.?
view the full question and answer

Deer-resistant native plants for privacy fence in Bandera, TX
March 24, 2008 - I am trying to have a living privacy fence of some type of evergreen shrubs that would grow about 6ft tall and that would be deer resistant. It would be good if didn't need a lot of maintenance. Do y...
view the full question and answer

Native deer-resistant plants for Virginia
September 26, 2012 - I live in Roanoke/Salem Virginia and want to plant a few plants native to the area along the front yard rock wall. I would prefer they be the same, deer resistant, around 5-6 feet tall max and flower...
view the full question and answer

Deer-proof native plants
May 14, 2007 - Dear Mr. Smarty Plants: Can you recommend some Deer-proof native plants including shrubs and flowering plants?
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.