Each flowering shrub reaches a mature height of 24 in., tolerates neutral soil conditions and requires full sun for optimal growth. But they have many different aliases. Choosing wisely from among the rabbit . Arugula. It should be no surprise that plants with a strong fragrance or fuzzy leaves like lavender and black-eyed Susan are less popular with rabbits. The truth is that rabbits love to graze on natural grass. Daisies can have a tendency to pop up all over a lawn. The plants begin blooming in early spring and continue through midsummer. Most types of iris bloom in spring into early summer. The plants form a dense carpet of flowers, and the blooms continue year-round in warm climates. The Rio Dipladenia plant is beautiful and makes a great attraction in your yard or home. This unrelated type of nettle has high amounts of a chemical called solanine. You may only need to plant them once for many years of beautiful summer flowers. 2. Or at least try if the plant in front of them, including your precious succulent, looks edible. It thrives in almost any soil condition, but requires full sun to partial shade to thrive. View this plant in a garden Category: Tropicals and Tender Perennials Vines and Climbers Water Requirements: Requires consistently moist soil; do not let dry out between waterings Sun Exposure: Sun to Partial Shade Foliage: Evergreen Smooth Foliage Color: Unknown - Tell us Height: 4-6 ft. (1.2-1.8 m) Spacing: 36-48 in. Dipladenia plants are hardy and perennial in USDA Zones 9 or 10. Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium) Lupine (Lupinus) Catmint (Nepeta) Ornamental Onion (Allium) Chives. There is no clear evidence that these other violets are actually toxic, but its possible that they are mildly poisonous and should be kept away from rabbits. The wide range of colorful cultivars is not appealing to rabbits, which increases their value to gardeners. Better Homes & Gardens - 100 years of powering your passions at home. In the winter time, you may see trails running through the snow where rabbits have been moving from shrub to shrub as they feed. Zinnias are safe to eat for animals. They haven't touched the plant at all in my garden. Q: Do rabbits eat . Sarah Scott is a fact-checker and researcher who has worked in the custom home building industry in sales, marketing, and design. Lavender is among the plants that are completely safe for rabbits to eat. These tend to be either aromatic, thorny, or members of the nightshade family: Rabbits. They offer narrow strap-like foliage and large brightly colored flowers to complement any color palette, and they are easy to grow. Sneezeweed (Helenium) - The tag at the nursery said "rodent resistant", although this flower totally looks like something a chipmunk will eat. Also called english marigolds, these big, bright orange or yellow flowers dont have to be grown in a pot. Dwarf rabbits can eat a cup of these veggies per day tops, while medium-sized and large adult bunnies can eat up to two cups of them daily: Alfalfa sprouts. Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist, well-drained soil. Rabbits will not even dig up carrots, though they will eat them if another creature has already uprooted them. Important: These are Affiliate links. If youre trying to grow these safe garden plants or potted flowers, you may want to keep them away from your rabbit anyway. The clusters of blooms look wonderful in flower arrangements. Its lacy foliage and delicate blooms provide an elegant addition to your garden that rabbits do not like. Also called floss flower, ageratum is one of the few annuals that blooms in light shade, although it prefers at least six hours of sun each day. Youll just want to wash them off a little bit in the sink or shower first to be sure the branches arent harboring any bugs. Hollyhocks are lovely flowers that are completely safe for rabbits to eat. Moshobane, Claude Moshobane et al. Rabbits are herbivores who feed on a wide variety of plant life. Sylvia Duax has over 15 years of experience as a professional Horticulturist with expertise in: sustainable garden maintenance techniques; Southeastern U.S., especially in the mid-Atlantic regional gardening; native plants; wildlife gardening; small space, urban and container gardening and community engagement. Bee Balm plants love full sun and moist, well-drained soil, and do well in USDA zones 4-9. Hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8, columbine blooms a wide range of colorful flowers in May and June. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. An incredibly rugged North American native plant, anise hyssop produces spikes of violet-blue flowers from midsummer to fall. Chamomile is a completely safe herb for rabbits to eat. Rabbits may dislike the plants strong fragrance and bitter taste, although the flowers and leaves are edible. Well-draining, loamy, or sandy soil is best and should be kept moist. All rabbit species are herbivores and as such only eat plant matter. Plant these lovely flowers to discourage deer in your garden: Photo By: Image courtesy of Proven Winners. These flowers are tasty enough that even humans might like them! While rabbits do not like foxglove, it should be planted with caution. This rabbit-resistant plant tolerates heat and drought well. Give the plants full sun and excellent drainage. Violet leaves, flowers and stems are safe for rabbits to eat. Verbena is a group of low-growing annuals with a mounding or spreading growth habit that often graces the front of a garden bed, container gardens, or hanging baskets. Some gardeners are able to grow sunflowers by sprinkling blood meal, human hair, cow manure, fox urine or other repellants in the garden, or by planting a border of other rabbit-resistant plants around them. It's not uncommon for people to wonder what wild rabbits eat, because pet . Growing Conditions:Part to full shade and consistently moist, well-drained soil. But the following are rabbit favorites: Tender, young leaves are the most susceptible, although they will sample many plants in the vegetable garden: These plants often sustain the most damage, because they are tender and generally out in the open with no protection: Rabbits prefer tender woody plants with thin bark, so new plants and shoots are at the most risk. Alliums, also known as ornamental onions, are rarely eaten by rabbits and other critters due to their pungent smell. The whole plant is completely safe and nontoxic for rabbits. Rabbits are . The whole plant is safe for rabbits, including the flower, leaves, stem, and even the seeds. The entire list of plants that rabbits will eat, or at least sample, is too long to list out. A popular plant for shade gardens, rabbit-resistant astilbe sends up feathery plumes of pink, white, and red in early summer. These cabbage family relatives dont smell like their kin, but they offer an abundance of large, colorful flowers in shades of white, pink, and red. We Recommend Rabbit-Resistant Annuals Deer-Resistant Annuals During the spring and summer seasons, groundhogs will have an abundance of plants to enjoy. FAQs. That's because, like people, different rabbits have different favorite foods. Lilies. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Rabbits tend to create a clean cut when they bite, so your plants will look like someone took shears to them. This is probably not a plant that I would specifically give to a rabbit because it doesnt have all that much nutritional value, but its okay if your rabbit nibbles on some in your garden or manages to knock down your potted plant and eat part of it. Rabbits will not necessarily eat the Hydrangea, however, they will gnaw and chew on the woody stems. Ideally fences should be of 2.5cm (1-1in) wire mesh and 120-140cm (48-54in) in height. Just be careful that you dont have a false jasmine plant. Marsh marigolds and french marigolds (also called african marigolds) are mildly toxic and should not be given to rabbits. She helps to socialize the rabbits and educate volunteers on the care and behavior of these small mammals. Rabbits probably dislike ageratums fuzzy, fringed blooms and the texture of its foliage. Finally, please note that you should . You may not want to go out and collect stinging nettle for your rabbit though, since it can actually cause a rash on humans. Some shrubs to avoid if rabbits are a problem include: Predictably, rabbits are drawn to many of the same foods that appeal to humans. This plant often left alone in a garden, even when rabbits have access to it. It is a good source of fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins A and C. In addition to cardinal flowers (lobelia cardinalis) and erinus ( lobelia erinus ), rabbit-resistant plants are available. In North America, rabbits are found in woods, meadows, fields, and even gardens. Marie's garden writing has been featured in newspapers and magazines nationwide and she has been interviewed for Martha Stewart Radio, National Public Radio, and numerous articles. The flowers, leaves, and stems are all safe for rabbits and completely edible. If you have children or pets, make sure it is in a location that is inaccessible because it is poisonous if ingested. Marie Iannotti is a life-long gardener and a veteran Master Gardener with nearly three decades of experience. In fact, that can be ideal because your rabbit can have access to some of the tasty flowers along the bottom of the vine, without completely filling up on them. However, these 19 flowering perennials and bulbs are lower down on the menu, thanks to textures, scents, or other characteristics that bunnies find unpalatable. 1. All parts of horse nettle are potentially toxic for rabbits, but be especially wary of the berries and the leaves. If you are interested in how to deter rabbits, there are ways to control and deter rabbits from overrunning your garden. While most safe plants are healthier than sugary treats, they should still be given to rabbits in moderation and variety. Rabbits are naturally resistant to mandevilla or dipladenia, so it is unlikely they will try to eat either of them. Few are safe, and it's far better to consider them all dangerous and not to allow your rabbits to eat any of them. Most tickseed cultivars measure 2 to 4 feet high and 1 to 2 feet wide at maturity, so they are easy to fit into most sunny garden spaces. If you have any cotton plants or trees, they are safe for your rabbit to chew on and eat. Use these low-growing, low-maintenance plants as an edging for walkways, beds and borders. Rabbits do not like flowering groundcovers like big periwinkle (Vinca major), which can be planted at the base of planters or along fences. This clean-cut damage often happens at ground level, as rabbits tend to eat the yummy green shoots of tulips and other plants. Whether you keep them potted inside or grow them in a garden, you may not want your rabbit to get ahold of these flowers because of how beautiful they are. Safe flowers can be given in moderation, but shouldnt make up a large portion of a rabbits diet. If youre worried about your rabbit chewing on materials in your home, then try to make sure they are made of natural fibers, like cotton. They love full sun, and will attract butterflies to your garden. But there are actually some plants that genuinely repel rabbits. Rabbits are herbivores and eat a variety of plants including hay, vegetables, pellets, and fruit. How it Works; Lavender plants have a sweet-smelling fragrance that is pleasant to humans. Individual plants are short-lived, but foxglove self-sows and is low-maintenance. There is a natural chemical present in this plant that works as a laxative. Growing Conditions: Part shade and moist, well-drained soil. Wax begonias are easy to grow in shade to sun, but they dont like the heat, so shield them from the sun if you live in a hot climate. Provide an elegant addition to your garden that rabbits do not like including the flower, leaves stem! Or pets, make sure it is in a pot will gnaw and chew on the woody stems most... You dont have to be grown in a location that is inaccessible because it is unlikely they try! 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