If you’re like most gardeners, you probably have at least a few Gerbera daisies in your yard. Gerbera daisies are beautiful flowers that add a touch of elegance to any garden. But do deer eat Gerbera daisies?
The answer is yes – deer will eat theblooms, buds, leaves, and even the stems of Gerbera daisies. Deer are attracted to Gerbera daisies because they’re usually well-watered, fertilized, and are tasty to them.
Considering that a single deer can eat several pounds of plants each day, you can see how deer eating Gerbera daisies can really do some serious damage to your garden!
In this article, we’ll discuss how to stop deer from eating your Gerbera daisies, and keep them healthy and beautiful all season long.
Why Do Deer Eat Gerbera Daisies?
As we covered, deer will eat every part of a Gerbera daisy (stem, leaves, seeds, blooms, bud, and all) when they’ve got the chance.
But why do they do this?
Deer like lush plants that are well-watered and fertilized, and Gerbera daisies check every box.
Also they are most likely to mow down your flowers during spring, because they’re really hungry after a long winter.
Your Gerbera daisies are less susceptible to deer damage later in summer when the plants have thicker stems and are matured.
Deer can do some serious damage to a large amount of Gerbera daisy plants in a single sitting if they’re hungry enough!
This was confirmed in a 1999 study on deer plant eating habits by Cornell University.
Flowers like Gerbera daisies contain water, sugar, protein, and nutrients, which makes them an ideal food source for deer.
And don’t think that your newer Gerbera daisy plants are safe either: deer actually prefer new growth because they’re more tender.
Additionally, deer will consume a wide variety of foods like Gerbera daisy flowers based on opportunity.
Gerbera Daisies attract deer because they are planted in the ground or in pots, so they’re easy to access.
If you’re not convinced, leave some potted Gerberas out or plant some, and wait to see what happens!
How Do I Keep Deer From Eating My Gerbera Daisies?
There are a few things to keep in mind when you’re protecting Gerbera daisies 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.
Are Gerbera Daisies Good For Deer?
There are no nutritional studies or facts available on Gerbera daisies in terms of vitamins and nutrients that they contain.
However, Gerbera daisies are typically used for improving liver and kidney function and as an inflammation reducer, and it is believed that these benefits may translate to deer eating Gerbera daisies as well.
Do Deer Eat Gerbera Daisies? Wrapping Things Up
So, do deer eat Gerbera daisies?
The answer is yes!
Deer will eat the all the Gerbera daisies they can, especially during spring when they’re hungry after a long winter and the flower, stems, and leaves are the most tender.
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:
