If you’re an avid gardener, you may have primroses in your garden or yard. Primroses (also known as Primula) are beautiful flowers that add a touch of elegance to any garden. But do deer eat primroses?
Deer do not usually eat primroses. Primroses are deer-resistant because of their strong scent and bitter taste. But a hungry deer will eat almost anything, which may include primrose plants.
Considering that a single deer can eat up to ten pounds of plants each day, you can see how deer eating primroses can really do some serious damage to your garden!
In this article, we’ll discuss how to stop deer from eating your primroses, and keep them healthy and beautiful all season long.
Why Do Deer Eat Primroses?
As we covered, deer usually stay away from primroses thanks to their strong scent and bitter taste.
Deer are most likely to eat primroses 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 primroses 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 primrose 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.
And don’t think that your newer primroses are safer either: deer actually prefer new growth because they’re more tender.
Are Primroses Deer Resistant?
Primroses are regarded as deer resistant thanks to their taste and scent, both of which deer do not like.
The bitter taste of the flowers and leaves usually keep deer away.
Deer have a keen sense of smell, and the strong scent of primroses also repels them.
As we mentioned earlier, just because primroses 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 primroses and other plants and flowers.
Read on to learn more.
How Do I Keep Deer From Eating My Primroses?
There are a few things to keep in mind when you’re protecting primroses 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 Primroses Grow Back After Deer Eat Them?
Fortunately, primroses can bounce back from browsing by deer if given some care, attention, and time.
Primroses are considered perennials in warm climates, meaning they’ll come back each season.
So unless a deer ate your primrose plants all the way down to the ground and damaged the roots, they should grow back.
Do Deer Eat Primroses? Wrapping Things Up
So, do deer eat primroses?
Not usually, but they will if they’re hungry enough.
Deer will usually stay away from primroses, 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:
