Wild animals tend to have a natural liking for the plants that grow around them. But that does not mean all the plants will be preferred by all the animals. Some plants and flowers are perfect for most animals whereas some plants are animal resistant.
If you plan on planting such plants in your garden you should do proper research so you don’t cause any damage to your garden and other plants.
Do deer & rabbits eat daylilies?
Daylilies are very much safe for animals like deer and rabbits. In fact, the animals are fond of the daylilies. There aren’t many plants and flowers that are good for them. And the daylilies are safe for almost all animals. Among them, deer seem to be very fond of the beautiful flower plant.
There are a lot of vine-like plants that deer enjoy a lot. Daylilies are one of them. In fact, it is considered as a candy or a kind of treat for the animal. The animal is very fond of the daylilies and will devour the plant in a matter of seconds.
Daylilies are sweet and delicate flowers that both deer and rabbits love to have. The texture of the leaves and the sweet taste of the flower makes them appealing to the animals. The plant comes in many colors which are more attractive to the deer.
If you do not take measures to protect your daylilies from deer and rabbits, both the animals will finish off all the plants in a matter of moments.
The beautiful flowers are absolute delicacies for the deer. And rabbits may seem small but they have a big appetite for the daylily flower and plant.
Are daylilies deer and rabbit resistant?
There are many types of daylilies and some of them are both rabbit and deer resistant. But most of the daylilies are not.
As a matter of fact, deer and rabbits are fond of some of the daylilies. It depends on the type of the plant, but in most cases, daylilies are not deer and rabbit resistant.
Deer and rabbits are fond of most of the daylilies. The plant comes in various colors of flowers. As for wild deer, all the daylilies are good. They love almost all of them. Rabbits tend to have preferences when it comes to the variations of the plant.
Though it is very rare for deer to ignore any plant or flower. But rabbits tend to have a very classified diet chart. They do not seem to eat every plant found in the wild. But there are some daylilies which are okay for both the animals.
What makes daylilies deer & rabbit/bunnies resistant?
Not all daylilies are safe for animals. And not all of the variations of the plant are enjoyed by deer, rabbit and other animals.
Especially the ones growing in the wild. Only deer seem to have the will to eat the wild daylilies. This is why some gardeners consider daylilies as deer and rabbit resistant plants.
This has a lot to do with the texture of the plant. The texture of the Stella de Oro daylily does not appeal to the wild deer at all. These plants have a rough texture that does not taste good to the deer most of the time. So they tend to avoid this variation of the plant.
Rabbits tend to have a very closed and specific choice of plants and flowers on their diet chart. And most of the time they will avoid daylilies because it is bushy in texture. But they will still enjoy the buds of the flower.
Why do deer & rabbits eat daylilies?
It is common for wild animals to nibble and chew down on most of the plants around them. Deer are definitely not the type to be picky about food when it comes to plants.
As for the rabbits, they tend to be a little particular about the plants they choose to have. But both the animals tend to be drawn towards the daylily plant-
Found easily:
The daylily plant can be found all over the grounds and yards. The plant grows from the fallen seeds from the flower and easily sprouts with little sunshine. So it is easily found and available for deer and rabbits.
Colorful flowers:
The flowers of the daylily plant comes in many different colors and shades. These colors attract deer and rabbits. Though some of the colors tend to keep the animals away. but wild deer love the vibrant colors of the flower of the plant.
Sweet taste:
Unlike most other wildflowers, daylilies have a very subtle sweet taste to their petals. Which is why many animals are drawn towards the flower. And the leaves of the plant are not too harsh for the deer either. This is why wild deer tend to be drawn towards the plant so much.
Wild animals live on the plants and flowers easily available within their reach. This is why deer and rabbits lean on to the daylilies for food as the plant is found almost everywhere. There is less hassle to have the flowers as well so it is their top choice.
How do I stop rabbits from eating my daylilies?
If you do not take measures to keep your backyard and daylilies protected from deer and rabbits there is a good chance they will eat your entire flower bed. That is not desired for any gardeners. Which is why you should prepare your garden if you have daylilies planted-
Fence it:
A good way to deal with deer is to fence your entire garden. This will obviously keep the animal away from your garden and stop them from eating the plant. Fences almost always work but it may not be as effective for rabbits. It is possible for the small animal to dig around the fence.
Cage the plant:
You can always build a small cage around your daylily plant. This may not always be ideal but it definitely works. Make sure the cage does not keep sunlight and air from reaching the plant. This part will be tricky to manage.
Hot sauce solution:
This easy solution is usually used by modern gardeners. Add 2 tablespoons of hot sauce in 10 gallons of water. Spray this mist around your daylily plant at least once every two weeks. The scent and pungent taste of the mixture will keep both deer and rabbits away from your daylilies.
Daylilies attract mostly deer and sometimes rabbits, and both the animal eats the entire container or bed of the plant. This is why you should take whatever measure necessary to protect your plants. Thankfully you can save your plants by taking a few steps.
Do all animals eat daylilies? What animal is eating them?
Daylilies may not be the favorite of a lot of animals, but there are some who love to nibble on the different parts of the flower plant. Deer are definitely on the list. Rabbits will also occasionally enjoy the plant. Besides them there are other few animals and rodents who enjoy the daylilies-
Squirrels:
Squirrels will only eat the bulb of the daylily flower. As the plant begins to grow and the flower gets tall enough you will find squirrels sitting at the top of the stem nibbling away at the bulb of the colorful flower.
Groundhogs:
These rodents do not have any issues with the daylilies. If they find the plant near them they will eat it. It is not in their nature to avoid plants as food.
Volse:
These animals prefer vegetation and this is why they will eat mostly plants. And as daylilies are available everywhere these animals tend to utilize this facility. They will rarely give up the chance to have a daylily.
Chipmunks:
Rodents like chipmunks enjoy daylilies as a sort of treat, almost like the deer. Chipmunks have the flower of the daylily as treats or candies but they tend to avoid the bulbs.
Slugs:
Though it may seem absurd, but slugs do have a knack to eat daylilies. These slow moving, small animals will sit on top of a daylily flower and slowly eat it all. Snail control is essential for your garden.
Gophers:
These animals are not that fond of the plant. If there is nothing else to eat a gopher will go for a daylily.
As daylilies are found everywhere most animals and rodents tend to enjoy it once in a while. However, there are some animals who will avoid the plant but that number is very little and very rare.
Final thoughts
Daylilies are easily found in the gardens and the parks or even the woods. Which is why the plant is preferred by a lot of animals, like deer and rabbits. Rabbits will avoid certain types of daylilies but wild deer don’t have such issues. Some rodents and animals, even slugs, have daylilies as well.