Gardening in areas with high deer populations presents a constant challenge for plant selection. Gardeners must choose species that can thrive without becoming a meal for browsing animals. This often leads to questions about which popular flowering plants are naturally protected. For those wishing to incorporate bright, delicate blooms into their yards, the question is simple: are poppies safe from deer?
Understanding Poppy Deer Resistance
Poppies (Papaver species) are generally classified as deer resistant, meaning they are not typically a preferred food source. This natural avoidance is a result of the plant’s internal chemistry, not its appearance or texture. The entire poppy plant produces a milky sap that contains various bitter and often toxic compounds known as alkaloids, which act as a powerful natural deterrent against herbivory.
These alkaloids, which can include morphine, codeine, and thebaine depending on the specific species, make the poppy unpalatable to deer. When sampled, the bitter taste immediately signals that the foliage is undesirable or potentially harmful, causing the animal to move on. Varieties like the Oriental poppy (Papaver orientale), the common annual poppy (Papaver rhoeas), and the California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) all share this protective chemical trait.
Factors That Can Lead Deer to Eat Poppies
While poppies are chemically protected, browsing damage can still occur, as the term “deer resistant” does not mean “deer proof.” The most common reason deer will ignore the natural deterrent is extreme hunger, such as during a severe drought or a harsh winter when preferred food is scarce. When desperate for sustenance, deer may be forced to try plants they would normally avoid.
Young, tender poppy seedlings are particularly vulnerable to being sampled. These new plants have not yet fully concentrated the protective alkaloids found in the mature foliage, making them slightly more palatable to an exploring deer. Furthermore, a few individual animals may occasionally sample or acquire a taste for poppies, leading to minimal, exploratory damage.
Protecting Poppies and Other Resistant Options
Protecting your poppies involves both physical barriers and chemical deterrents, especially during the vulnerable early growth stages. Temporary fencing or netting can be installed around new plantings to physically block access until the seedlings have matured and developed a higher concentration of alkaloids. This is particularly helpful in the spring when deer are seeking tender new growth.
Repellent sprays offer another layer of defense, utilizing ingredients that taste or smell offensive to deer. Products containing putrescent egg solids or strong scents can be applied directly to the foliage to reinforce the plant’s natural bitterness. This method often works best when rotated with different types of repellents to prevent deer from becoming accustomed to a single scent or flavor.
Companion plantings also repel deer due to strong scents or coarse textures. Excellent alternatives include plants with aromatic foliage such as lavender, Russian sage, and salvia, or plants with toxic properties like hellebore.