Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Your gift keeps resources like this database thriving!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

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.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

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.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
1 rating

Friday - December 17, 2010

From: Washington, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Deer Resistant
Title: Rattan vine for deer in Washington County, TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

My property in Washington County has a lot of very old rattan vine, much of which is 3" in diameter. All of the leaf and berry production on these vines is well over 50' above the ground. I manage my property for white-tail deer and have been working extensively on brush management (mostly clearing yaupon and old greenbrier thickets) in some of these areas where the rattan vine grows. I have pulled some of the smaller vines down to within reach of the deer and the leaves have been quickly consumed. Can I prune the old large vines back to where the growth will be at a lower level and therefore of benefit to the deer? And if so, when is the best time to prune?

ANSWER:

Berchemia scandens (rattan-vine) is native to your area in Washington County. You must have some real whoppers there, with 3" diameter vines. Our webpage on this plant says the vines can reach "up to" 1" in diameter. The webpage also says it is beneficial to wildlife, but does not specifically mention deer. However, the height you are quoting is correct, over 50' up in the trees. This vine requires shade or part shade, and yet it seems to be looking for sunlight, climbing up in the trees like that. Since the vine is deciduous, and therefore probably has nothing for the deer right now, our best guess is that you need to cut those vines way back, like down to 3' or so above the ground. They will put out new leaves and blooms, because all plants' Prime Directive is to survive and reproduce. This will get the new growth down to where the deer can reach them, and no doubt they will dine on the fresh sprouts in the spring.

From Louisiana Ecosystems, here is some more information on the rattan vine. A couple of the sites we looked at mention that the berries were poisonous, but were widely eaten by birds, and the vine was browsed by deer. You might also be interested in this Dave's Garden Forum negative comments about the invasiveness of the vine. If you are truly interested in providing browse for the deer, you are going to have to trim back the vines, probably every year, to keep the leaves within reach of the deer.

 

From the Image Gallery


Alabama supplejack
Berchemia scandens

Alabama supplejack
Berchemia scandens

Alabama supplejack
Berchemia scandens

Alabama supplejack
Berchemia scandens

More Deer Resistant Questions

Cenizo for border of school garden from Cedar Park TX
January 27, 2014 - Hi. We're starting a school garden in Central Texas, and instead of building a fence along one side, we'd like to plant a hedge. Ideally, it would grow tall enough to deter deer from jumping over, b...
view the full question and answer

Arizona centaury near Lost Maples from Austin
November 05, 2012 - I found a clump of Arizona centaury growing/blooming beside a road near Lost Maples State Nat. Area in the Texas hill country last week. Centaurium calycosum is the scientific name. I have 2 questio...
view the full question and answer

Deer-resistant plants for Maryland
August 23, 2008 - Hello- I have a acre that is mostly full-sun (and no shade on the house) and part shade (edge of the yard) and not much in between. It is also overrun with hungry deer! I am having a hard time finding...
view the full question and answer

How are NPIN Deer Resistance Ratings Determined?
May 06, 2014 - If your plant data-base (which is the best thing since sliced bread!) is silent on the degree to which a plant is deer-resistant, does this mean you just don't have enough information to make the cal...
view the full question and answer

Deer Resistance Input from Northern VA
June 22, 2016 - Hello. I live in the deer infested woods of Northern VA. I am always looking for plants that deer have little interest in to cover other plants. The deer generally have little interest in mints (Py...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.