Heather plants not only contribute to the environment with their beauty but also as a nutritional food source. They feed a range of animals, bugs, and birds. But people often ask whether deers eat heather.
It is a cause of concern because deers have a habit of entering your garden and feasting on beautiful flowers and plants.
In this article, we will help you figure out whether deers eat heather. We will provide you with a clear insight into the plant and its relationship with deers. So read ahead to learn more about heather plants and if deers eat heather.
Do deer eat heather?
Deers do not eat heather. They don’t find this plant quite as attractive as they would find tulips, turnips, and such flowers. So you have no reason to worry about deers eating your heather plant. However, a hungry deer may eat heathers when there is a shortage of food in the area.
Heathers are wonderful plants and enhance the aesthetics of your garden as soon as they bloom. So naturally, owners are quite protective of these plants and their flowers. If you are concerned about the well-being of these flowers as well, then you have landed on the right article.
We will address the question of whether deers eat heather and under which circumstances will they indulge in this plant. We will answer whether deers will ever munch on a heather plant.
In addition, you will get to learn the reasons why heather plants generally appear to be deer-resistant. We will also help you figure out the steps that you need to take in order to keep deers away from your heather plant.
Let’s take a look at different types of heathers and whether deers will eat these varieties of heather plants.
Mexican heather:
Mexican heathers are quite hard to grow. It is even harder to get a bloom out of these plants. So it is only natural that you will worry about the well-being of these plants and whether they will be invaded by a deer.
There is no need to worry. Deers do not eat Mexican heather. They are repelled by the strong scent and flavor of these plants.
In addition, these plants are low-growing. So their shrubs will keep the deers from feasting on the green foliage of the plants.
Scotch heather:
No, deers do not eat scotch heathers. These plants are low-growing as well. So it keeps the deers from eating the green foliage that is well protected by the plant.
It also has dense yet fine foliage that the deers cannot reach. So you will not have to worry about deers eating your scotch heather.
Italian heather:
Deers do not eat Italian heathers. These plants feature a very strong smell and come in bright colors. These features repel deers in general. So unless the deers in your area are very hungry, they will not eat these plants.
Mediterranean pink heather:
Deers do not eat Mediterranean pink heathers. Deers are repelled by these plants. This is because these plants have a very strong taste, smell, as well as texture. So you will notice that deers are steering clear of these plants.
Kramer’s red heather:
Deers will avoid eating these Kramer’s red heathers as well. These flowers have a very bright winter color and they will keep deers away from the plant.
Do deer like heather?
Deers do not like heathers. Heathers are low-growing plants that deers have a hard time getting access to. The low-growing vines of the plant do not allow the deers to have access to the fine green foliage underneath. So you will notice that deers generally keep away from these plants.
Deers also tend to keep away from fragrant flowering plants that have a strong scent. So they will naturally steer clear of a heather plant under normal circumstances.
However, if you notice that deers are coming near your heather plant then it indicates that there are many deers living around your house with not enough natural food supply. In that case, you will have to take steps to protect your plant.
Is heather deer resistant?
Heathers are generally deer resistant. Deers tend to avoid plants that have a strong smell and bright colors. Considering these criteria, heathers are supposed to keep deers away under normal circumstances.
Deers do not enjoy the fact that heather plants spread a strong scent around them. They cannot tolerate strong smells or tastes. So deers tend to steer clear of these plants. In addition, heather plants are low-lying plants. So deers cannot access the leaves and foliage of the plant. They, therefore, derive food from these plants.
However, if there is a shortage of food in your area, then deers will start eating from a heather plant. Actually, there is no plant that is completely deer resistant.
A hungry deer will eat almost anything that it can gain access to. If such a situation arises, you will need to use deer repellent sprays and other repellent remedies to keep deers from destroying your heather plant.
What makes heather deer resistant?
There are several reasons why deers do not enjoy feasting on a heather plant. They do not even like going near one. Let’s take a look at what makes heathers deer-resistant. Read ahead to find out:
Strong scent:
Deers do not like plants that spread a strong smell. They will steer clear of a plant that spreads strong fragrance around it. And heather plants are one of those plants that feature a very strong scent. Not only that but its flowers also come in very bright colors.
So heather plants are deer resistant because of their strong scent. In addition, these plants have flowers that feature very bright colors, which also repels deers.
Low-growing feature:
Heathers are low-growing plants. This is another feature that makes heathers deer-resistant. Deers will keep away from these plants as they cannot gain access to the edible green foliage of heathers.
Will deer ever munch on the heather?
Yes, deer will munch on heathers under certain conditions. If there is a shortage of food supply in the area then deers will end up eating heathers.
Deers are naturally quite picky about their food. But when they experience a shortage in the natural food supply, they end up eating almost anything that they can get access to. Under such a circumstance, deers will eat heathers as well.
They will particularly eat the green foliage of these plants. Deers will also eat the leaves of heathers when they are hungry.
How to keep deer away from heather?
There are several steps that you can take in order to keep deers away from heathers. Read ahead to learn more about the steps:
Spread human hair across the garden:
Deers are repelled by human hair. Since it is a very unfamiliar object to them, they will not approach your garden if they notice that there is human hair lying around.
So you should spread a few handfuls of human hair around the garden. It would be great if you can cover the entire border of your garden with human hair. This will keep deers away from your heather.
Place soap bars at the base of heather plants:
Deers are also repelled by soap bars. Soap bars have a strong smell which keeps them away from your plant. In addition, soap bars are unfamiliar objects to deers. So they will keep away from your heather plant if they notice a soap bar lying around.
It would be ideal to place a few soap bars at the base of your heather plant and a few feets around it. This will be a very effective method of keeping deers away from your heather plants.
Use chemical deer repellents:
You can also use chemical deer repellents on the heather plants in your garden. You will find a wide range of options when it comes to deer repellents.
If you notice that deers are approaching your heather plants, you will need to spray some deer repellents onto the plant every once in a while.
Make sure to spray some spray on the plant once every couple of weeks. This will keep deers away from heather plants.
Final Thoughts
Deers do not eat heathers. Heather plants are generally quite strong in their smell and texture, which repels deers under normal circumstances. However, if there is a food shortage in your area with too many deers around, they will start eating heather plants. So keep an eye on your heather plants.