Native Plants

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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.

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Wednesday - March 11, 2009

From: Prescott, AZ
Region: Southwest
Topic: Deer Resistant
Title: Are peonies resistant to javelina and deer predation?
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

Are peonies resistant to javalina and deer predation in Prescott, AZ

ANSWER:

The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Service has a Deer and Rabbit Resistant Plants list. This list, however, doesn't show peonies (Paeonia sp.). You can find links to several listings of deer resistant plants at About.com:Gardening and several of these do list peonies. According to the Deer-Resistant Landscape Nursery in Connecticut, peonies are somewhat resistant—the deer sometimes eat the leaves in fall. Another nursery, Chaska Farm & Garden in Minnesota, has several peonies on its Deer Resistant Perennials list. The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Service even has a list of Javelina Resistant Plants, and, lo and behold, peonies are included as being javelina resistant! Remember, however, that even though peonies occur on both deer and javelina resistant lists, this is no guarantee that one or the other animal won't decide that peonies are just what they like best.

Here is some information from Arizona Game and Fish Department about Living with Javelina.

Paeonia brownii

Paeonia californica