begonias - Ask Extension
Do deer eat begonias? They ate my hostas and my neighbor feed deer in his back yard so they will always be around. Have a north side of house that is ...
Knowledgebase
begonias #865138
Asked April 19, 2024, 2:13 PM EDT
Do deer eat begonias? They ate my hostas and my neighbor feed deer in his back yard so they will always be around. Have a north side of house that is always shady and looking for a perenial or annual they wont eat/.
Delaware County Ohio
Expert Response
Dale,
While hostas are one of the most favorite landscape plants of deer, annual wax begonias are also susceptible to browsing. You may be able to discourage deer by inserting florist wire or insulation support wire in the ground among your hosta plants. The deer do not like getting poked in the face.
For your shady north side, there are many native ferns that you could look at in your local garden center (Christmas, Lady, Eastern Wood, Cinnamon, Ostrich, Sensitive, etc). Most are deer resistant.
I've had success with some flowering perennials in my shady, deer-infested garden, but they are mostly non-native: Epimedium grandiflorum, Pulmonaria hybrids, Helleborus, Brunnera macrophylla, Tiarella 'Spring Symphony' and Anemone tomentosa (which is a very aggressive spreader).
Please let me know if you have further questions.
While hostas are one of the most favorite landscape plants of deer, annual wax begonias are also susceptible to browsing. You may be able to discourage deer by inserting florist wire or insulation support wire in the ground among your hosta plants. The deer do not like getting poked in the face.
For your shady north side, there are many native ferns that you could look at in your local garden center (Christmas, Lady, Eastern Wood, Cinnamon, Ostrich, Sensitive, etc). Most are deer resistant.
I've had success with some flowering perennials in my shady, deer-infested garden, but they are mostly non-native: Epimedium grandiflorum, Pulmonaria hybrids, Helleborus, Brunnera macrophylla, Tiarella 'Spring Symphony' and Anemone tomentosa (which is a very aggressive spreader).
Please let me know if you have further questions.
