If you’re an avid gardener, you may have calibrachoa in your outdoor plant collection. Calibrachoa (also known as Million Bells) are beautiful flowers that add a touch of elegance to any garden. But do deer eat calibrachoa?
Deer do not usually eat calibrachoa. Calibrachoa are deer-resistant because of their strong scent and bitter taste. But a hungry deer will eat almost anything, which may include calibrachoa plants.
Considering that a single deer can eat up to ten pounds of plants each day, you can see how deer eating calibrachoa can really do some serious damage to your garden!
In this article, we’ll discuss how to stop deer from eating your calibrachoa, and keep them healthy and beautiful all season long.
Why Do Deer Eat Calibrachoa?
As we covered, deer usually stay away from calibrachoa thanks to their strong scent, texture, and bitter taste.
Deer are most likely to eat calibrachoa during spring because they’re hungry after a long winter, or if it’s late in fall and other food sources have been depleted.
Your million bells are less susceptible to deer damage later in summer when many other food sources they prefer are available.
Deer can do some serious damage to a large amount of calibrachoa in a single sitting if they’re hungry enough!
This was confirmed in a 1999 study on deer plant eating habits by Cornell University.
And don’t think that your newer calibrachoa are safer either: deer actually prefer new growth because they’re more tender.
Are Calibrachoa Deer Resistant?
Calibrachoa are regarded as deer resistant thanks to their taste and scent, both of which deer do not like.
The bitter taste and varied texture of million bells usually keep deer away.
Deer have a keen sense of smell, and the strong scent of calibrachoa also repels them.
As we mentioned earlier, just because calibrachoa are deer resistant doesn’t mean they are completely safe from being eaten by deer.
You should always take additional steps to deter deer from your calibrachoa and other plants and flowers.
Read on to learn more.
How Do I Keep Deer From Eating My Calibrachoa?
There are a few things to keep in mind when you’re protecting calibrachoa from hungry deer: their habits, your scent, repellent options, and when you plant them.
Deer will eat nearly anything if they’re hungry enough, so your main goal is making your garden as least inviting to deer as possible.
Check out our guide on how to keep deer from eating plants where we cover 25 quick and easy tips for keeping hungry deer out of your garden.
Will My Calibrachoa Grow Back After Deer Eat Them?
Fortunately, calibrachoa can bounce back from browsing by deer if given some care, attention, and time.
Calibrachoa flowers are considered perennials, meaning they’ll grow back year after year.
Fortunately, calibrachoa can withstand some cutting and browsing from deer all the way down to about 6” from the soil.
So unless a deer eats your calibrachoa down to the soil, you should be able to nurse them back to health with regular watering and fertilization.
Do Deer Eat Calibrachoa? Wrapping Things Up
So, do deer eat calibrachoa?
Not usually, but they will if they’re hungry enough.
Deer will usually stay away from calibrachoa, but may eat them during spring when they’re hungry after a long winter or in late fall when other food sources have been depleted.
Have any observations to add to the discussion? Be sure to let us know in the comments below.
Check our our other helpful wildlife guides while you’re here:
- Do deer eat coral bells?
- Do deer eat marigolds?
- Do deer eat lantana?
- Do deer eat dahlias?
- Do deer eat zinnias?
- Do deer eat peonies?
- Do deer eat vinca?
- Do deer eat begonias?
- Do deer eat celosia?
- Do deer eat nasturtiums?
- Do deer eat wisteria?
- Are loropetalum deer resistant?
- Are sunpatiens deer resistant?
- Do deer eat hellebores?
- Do deer eat periwinkle?
