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Saturday - May 01, 2010

From: Lago Vista, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Deer Resistant
Title: Deer-resistant native ground cover for part sun in Lago Vista TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

Looking for a ground cover in an area that gets partial sun, is level and good drainage. Area is 10' x 20'. Thought about Trachelospermun Asiaticum (Asiatic Jasmine) but what ever I go with it has to be deer resistant. Any suggestions?

ANSWER:

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is committed to the use, protection and propagation of plants native not only to North America but to the area in which it is being grown. Asian Jasmine (from Floridata) is native to Korea and Japan, and is also considered somewhat invasive. So, if we could rephrase your question to fit our capabilites and limitations, you need a ground cover native to Central Texas that gets part shade (2 to 6 hours of sun a day) or shade (less than 2 hours a day of sun) and is deer-resistant. Follow each link to find out more about the plant being discussed, including bloom time, size, sunlight needed and so forth.

So, we will first go to our list of Deer-Resistant Plants, sort by Texas, vine for General Appearance and part shade and shade for Light Requirements. We chose to look at vines first, because that is what you asked about. There are two vines that could be ground covers if you are not planning foot traffic in that area, and they both would like something like a fence or trellis or wall, to climb on. These natives are, Gelsemium sempervirens (evening trumpetflower), evergreen and Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper), deciduous, both considered to have "moderate" resistance to deer.

That wasn't terribly productive, so lets look at some low-growing plants that fit your specifications, searching the same way, but selecting "Herb" (herbaceous blooming plant) on General Appearance.

Deer Resistant Plants for Travis County, TX:

Calylophus berlandieri (Berlandier's sundrops)

Dalea greggii (Gregg's prairie clover) - deciduous, moderately resistant

Eupatorium serotinum (lateflowering thoroughwort) - highly resistant

Glandularia bipinnatifida (Dakota mock vervain) - deciduous, highly resistant

Hedeoma drummondii (Drummond's false pennyroyal) - annual, highly resistant

Monarda citriodora (lemon beebalm) - annual, highly resistant

Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot) - perennial, highly resistant

Oxalis drummondii (Drummond's woodsorrel) - perennial, highly resistant

Phyla nodiflora (turkey tangle fogfruit) - evergreen, perennial, moderately resistant

Rivina humilis (rougeplant) - deciduous, perennial, moderately deciduous

Salvia roemeriana (cedar sage) - highly resistant