Native Plants
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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.
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Thursday - April 17, 2008
From: New York, NY
Region: Northeast
Topic: Privacy Screening
Title: Deer-resistant screening tree/shrub
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Can you recommend a deer resistant screening tree/shrub? We would like to use privet but are not sure which variety or if the deer will really stay off it, we've had conflicting views! We live on the east end of Long Island, New York.ANSWER:
Mr. Smarty Plants would definitely NOT recommend any kind of privet (Ligustrum sp.). They are non-native and very invasive, competing with and displacing native plant species.Here are some alternatives that are native and deer resistant, It should be noted that deer-resistant doesn't mean deer-proof. If environmental conditions have decreased their normal food supply, deer may eat plants that they normally find distasteful.
Evergreens
Andromeda polifolia (bog rosemary)
Kalmia latifolia (mountain laurel) (Note: This shrub/trees is moderately deer-resistant, but probably less so than the others on the list.)
Mahonia aquifolium (hollyleaved barberry)
Deciduous
Calycanthus floridus (eastern sweetshrub)
Cornus sericea (redosier dogwood)
Hamamelis virginiana (American witchhazel)
Rhus aromatica (fragrant sumac)
Sambucus racemosa (red elderberry)
Viburnum prunifolium (blackhaw)
Viburnum dentatum (southern arrowwood)
You can see the deer resistance rating for a large number of plants from Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station as well as another list of Deer Resistant Plants by Scientific Name.
You can see other native plants that grow well in New York on our New York Recommended page.
More Privacy Screening Questions
Hedge plant for Maui.
February 17, 2009 - Question: I live in Pukalani, Maui, Hawaii and would like to put a "living fence" around my yard for some privacy. Ideally, I want something that is going to grow fast and about 8+ feet tall for a h...
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Privacy screen for garden and pool in California
October 13, 2008 - I need a fast growing screen for privacy. Here are the issues:1. we have a 3 story apartment building looking right into our backyard. so trees need to be at least 15' tall and dense. 2. we have a po...
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Evergreens for privacy screen in WI
May 29, 2011 - We'd like to add privacy to our backyard with evergreen trees. The problem with this area is it very wet and the ground is soft and mushy until the dry summer conditions. We've rocklined the the a...
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Hankering for a view-blocking hedge in Hempstead, TX.
July 03, 2013 - Hempstead is 50 miles west of Houston and I am looking for a fast growing native to provide a block of a view for a fairly large area (about half a block). I would prefer something that is also benef...
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Privacy screening from Prosperity SC
May 19, 2013 - I need to know what would be a good tree to plant for blocking my neighbor's home it needs to be an evergreen and slender in the space it would take.
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