Native Plants

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Sunday - March 25, 2007

From: Pearce, AZ
Region: Southwest
Topic: Deer Resistant
Title: Deer resistance of Calylophus berlandieri
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

Is Calylophus drummondii deer resistant? We have a lot of mule deer in se Arizona? Thanks in advance for your advice.

ANSWER:

Mr. Smarty Plants can't find Calylophus drummondii. Perhaps you are referring to Calylophus berlandieri Spach ssp. pinifolius (syn. Calylophus drummondianus Spach) or Calylophus berlandieri Spach ssp. berlandieri (syn. Calylophus drummondianus Spach ssp. berlandieri).

Our Native Plants Database gives the deer resistance for Calylophus berlandieri (Berlandier's sundrops) as "moderate". However, I haven't found it listed as deer resistant on any other lists, e.g.:

Native Plant Society of Texas (NPSOT)

Deer-resistant Plants Landscape Nursery

Texas A&M Plant Answers

Kerrville Chapter of NPSOT

If there are plenty of other more palatable plants growing nearby the deer will probably prefer them to the Calylophus. Also, you could try planting the Calylophus amongst more deer resistant plants such as Salvia spp. The proximity of the less desirable plants might keep the deer out of the area. However, be aware that deer resistant doesn't mean deer proof. When conditions are such that food is difficult to find, the deer are likely to eat many normally deer-resistant plants.