There are a lot of myths out there about what deer do and do not eat, especially when it comes to common flowers and plants. One common question is: do deer eat elderberry?
The answer is yes – deer love to eat the leaves and stems of elderberry bushes throughout the year. Deer aren’t as attracted to the berries themselves, although they will eat them occasionally.
Considering that a single deer can eat up to ten pounds of plants each day, you can see how deer eating elderberry bushes can really do some serious damage to these plants!
Why Do Deer Eat Elderberry Bushes?
As we covered, deer will eat every part of elderberry bushes (berries, shoots, leaves, flowers, and stemsl) whenever they can.
But why do they do this?
Deer like sweet foods and plants that are well-watered and fertilized, and elderberry bushes check every box.
Deer can do some serious damage to a large amount of elderberry bushes in a single sitting if they’re hungry enough!
This was confirmed in a 1999 study on deer plant eating habits by Cornell University.
Plants like elderberries contain water, sugar, protein, and nutrients, which makes them an ideal food source for deer.
And don’t think that newer elderberry bushes are safe either: deer actually prefer new growth because they’re more tender and the thorns aren’t as hard.
Additionally, deer will consume a wide variety of foods like elderberries based on opportunity.
They’re planted in the ground and grow easily in many areas, so they’re easy for deer to access.
In fact, elderberry bushes are increasing in popularity for hunters who want a deer food plot but don’t have access to farming equipment.
This is because elderberries are relatively easy to grow and attract deer so well.
If you’re not convinced, leave some elderberries out or plant some bushes, then wait to see what happens!
Do Deer Eat Black Lace Elderberry?
We’ll have homeowners ask: do deer eat black lace elderberry bushes or another specific type they have on their property.
The short answer is, yes, deer will eat all types of elderberries including American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis), European elderberry (Sambucus nigra), beauty, black lace, Johns, Nova, variegated, Scotia, and York elderberry bushes and trees.
How Do You Keep Deer From Eating Elderberries?
Some farmers and hunters encourage deer to browse their elderberry bushes as part of food plots or other attractants.
If you’re in the other camp and want to protect your elderberries from deer, we’ve got some great options for you.
There are a few things to keep in mind when you’re protecting elderberry bushes 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 Elderberries Grow Back After Deer Eat Them?
Fortunately, elderberries are rather hardy.
Whether it is heavily browsed by deer or another animal, you can usually see a new bush start to sprout in a year even after the plant has been nearly mowed down.
Are Elderberries Good For Deer?
Elderberries contain highly digestible fiber and plenty of carbohydrates, so they attract deer easily.
However, azaleas are typically used for arthritis and injury recovery, and it is believed that these benefits may translate to deer eating azaleas as well.
In addition to being a great source of protein, deer eating Elderberries provides them with the following vitamins and minerals:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Calcium
- Iron
These vitamins and minerals provide deer with many benefits.
For example, vitamin C will help protect deer against scurvy and vitamin assists in deer immune system function.
Deer need calcium for bone, teeth, and antler growth and health as well as other bodily functions like milk production and metabolism.
Fat-Soluble Vitamins in Elderberries For Deer
Vitamins A, D, E, K, and calcium are fat-soluble, so they can be stored in the deer’s fat and liver to be used later as needed.
This means that calcium content from deer eating elderberries can be “stored up” for later use, which is highly beneficial.
Water-Soluble Vitamins In Elderberries For Deer
Vitamin C, B Vitamins, niacin, folic acid, and potassium are all water-soluble, which means they cannot be stored, so they must be replaced continually.
So a deer that eats elderberries for the vitamin C content must continue to consume foods that contain these necessary vitamins to stay healthy.
Do Deer Eat Elderberries? Wrapping Things Up
So, do deer eat Elderberries?
The answer is yes!
Deer will eat elderberry plants and the fruits whenever they can, especially when the plants are young and tender.
Elderberry bushes and trees are a great option for any hunter looking to attract deer to their food plot.
If you’re looking to keep deer away from your elderberries, there are many different solutions you can use which we’ve outlined above in this guide.
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: