If you’re like most gardeners, you probably have at least a few liatris in your yard. Liatris (also known as blazing star) are beautiful flowers that add a touch of elegance to any garden. But do deer eat liatris?
Deer do not usually eat liatris. Liatris is deer-resistant because of it’s strong scent and bitter taste. But a hungry deer will eat almost anything, which may include liatris plants.
Considering that a single deer can eat up to ten pounds of plants each day, you can see how deer eating liatris can really do some serious damage to your garden!
In this article, we’ll discuss how to stop deer from eating your liatris, and keep them healthy and beautiful all season long.
Why Do Deer Eat Liatris?
As we covered, deer usually stay away from liatris thanks to their strong scent and bitter taste.
Deer are most likely to eat liatris 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 liatris 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 liatris 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 liatris are safer either: deer actually prefer new growth because they’re more tender.
Are Liatris Deer Resistant?
Liatris are regarded as deer resistant thanks to their taste and scent, both of which deer do not like.
They were rated as “seldom severely damaged” in a study on deer resistant plants by Rutgers University.
The bitter taste of the flowers and leaves usually keep deer away.
Deer have a keen sense of smell, and the strong scent of liatris also repels them.
As we mentioned earlier, just because liatris 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 liatris and other plants and flowers.
Read on to learn more.
How Do I Keep Deer From Eating My Liatris?
There are a few things to keep in mind when you’re protecting liatris 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 Liatris Grow Back After Deer Eat Them?
Fortunately, liatris can bounce back from browsing by deer if given some care, attention, and time.
Liatris are considered perennials in warm climates, meaning they’ll come back each season.
So unless a deer ate your liatris plants all the way down to the ground, they should grow back.
Do Deer Eat Liatris? Wrapping Things Up
So, do deer eat liatris?
Not usually, but they will if they’re hungry enough.
Deer will usually stay away from liatris, 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 mums?
- Do deer eat roses?
- Do deer eat sunflowers?
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- Do deer eat Gerbera daisies?
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- Do deer eat African daisies?
- Do deer eat canna lilies?
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- Do deer eat four o’clock flowers?
- Do deer eat anemone?
