Native Plants

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Monday - March 24, 2008

From: Bandera, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Deer Resistant
Title: Deer-resistant native plants for privacy fence in Bandera, TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

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 you have any suggestion?

ANSWER:

As long as you understand (as we're sure you do) that there is no such thing as deer-proof, we have four nice evergreen shrubs that might fill the bill. Follow the links to the webpages on each plant; we chose for sun 6 or more hours a day and dry soil, which contributes to low maintenance.

Chrysactinia mexicana (damianita) This only grows to about 3 feet in height, but is a really great plant, with bright yellow flowers. Perhaps you could fit it in front to kind of fill in the spaces between the taller plants.

Leucophyllum frutescens (Texas barometer bush) Great blue-green leaves, frequent lavender flowers when it rains a bit, and deer don't care for them.

Mahonia trifoliolata (agarita) Now this might be overkill, it has really prickly leaves, and is sometimes called the "babysitter bush" because early farmers would use it to make a ring in which lambs would be safe from coyotes!

Sophora secundiflora (Texas mountain-laurel) This has poisonous seeds, and maybe the deer know that and that's why they don't eat it, but you also need to take precautions that pets and children don't get into the seeds.