Native Plants

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Wednesday - September 30, 2009

From: Pflugerville, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Deer Resistant
Title: Overwintering possumhaw seedlings indoors in Pflugerville, TX.
Answered by: Joe Marcus

QUESTION:

Can possumhaw (Ilex decidua) seedlings be kept indoors over the winter? The goal is to protect them from deer and there is no other good option (i.e., no protected outdoor porch, etc.), unless you can suggest one.

ANSWER:

Mr. Smarty Plants will refrain from extolling the virtues of venison...

Trying to overwinter possumhaws indoors is probably not the best way to protect your seedlings. Your local deer will be just as likely to browse your little trees in the spring as they are this winter. Moreover, the atmosphere and temperatures inside a house are not optimal for North American trees in the winter. They really need that winter cold and dormancy to develop well.