Native Plants
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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.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
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Monday - August 25, 2014
From: Newtown Square, PA
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Deer Resistant, Herbs/Forbs, Shrubs
Title: Deer Resistant Plants for Newton Square, PA
Answered by: Brigid & Larry Larson
QUESTION:
I'm looking for highly deer resistant plants native to PA. Thank you!ANSWER:
Mr Smarty Plants can lead you that way, but it is a difficult question. Partially because deer aren’t very picky and will eat the tastiest of the plants which are available. Your solution in this direction is to have your neighbors grow stuff which is more attractive to them! As this is not a very likely situation, the other path is to laboriously search out the Mr Smarty Plants archives for good candidates.
One of my favorites is to simply search out where this has been addressed in old MSP question/answer pairs. Here are several that deal with deer resistance and come from your area:
How are NPIN Deer Resistance Ratings Determined?
Deer resistant plants for Pittsburgh PA
Deer resistant trees and shrubs for PA
Evergreen, deer resistant privacy screen for Villanova PA
Perennial ground cover for hillside in Holmdel NJ
Deer resistant plants for a bioswale in NJ
Another method to check it out is to review the special collections of native plants that the Wildflower Center maintains. This link is to the Recommended Species collection for Pennsylvania. The issue, as noted in the messages before, is that deer resistance is not a field we can automatically search. You would search the collection for plants that appeal then you have to read the plant record. Deer Resistance is a separate line under the category “Benefits”.
The latest method though (and the best), is that the Wildflower Center has developed a specific collection of Deer Resistant Species. This one can be searched for Pennsylvania and also whether you want wildflowers or shrubs [or other plant habits]. Here are a few likely plants that I found amongst the 87 candidates.
Shrubs:
Amorpha fruticosa (Indigo bush)
Rhus aromatica (Fragrant sumac)
Symphoricarpos orbiculatus (Coralberry)
Herbs [Wildflowers]
Arisaema dracontium (Green dragon)
Capsicum annuum (Chile pequin)
From the Image Gallery
More Shrubs Questions
Planting shrubs on a rocky slope
September 13, 2008 - I need to plant a rocky slope, facing south and west, to cut down erosion.
Other than creating terraces, are there tricks for securing individual shrubs or trees to a slope when planting?
What plant...
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Plants for a moist, wooded area in North Carolina
December 06, 2014 - I am looking to plant some native flowers in a wooded area in Surry County NC. The chosen location is fully shaded beside a creek. The water table typically sets about 2 feet below the surface of th...
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Living blooming plants for November wedding in Austin
April 07, 2014 - I am an environmental educator whose daughter is getting married in Austin in November. I would like to use living blooming native plants as decorations and then donate them to a local school to plan...
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Ground cover for Brooklyn, NY
January 25, 2013 - Hi Mr Smarty Plants,
I'm looking for a fast growing ground cover for my Brooklyn, NY back yard. The area is nestled between 3 buildings and a fairly large tree, so most of the day its shady, but ...
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Plant Suggestions for Shady Site under Trees in Alabama
April 03, 2014 - I live in Montgomery, AL and have a bare area (20' x 5’) that's shady and soil erosion is a problem. Grass stops growing at the drip line of the trees here. Do you have any suggestions for growing s...
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