African Daisies (Osteospermum) are annuals and tender perennials that provide long-lasting color in garden beds and containers. Gardeners often select these plants for their heat tolerance, but worry arises when deer are present in the landscape. Protecting these flowers from browsing animals is a concern for homeowners, especially as deer populations expand into suburban areas, forcing them to forage on plants they might otherwise ignore. Understanding why deer sometimes eat African Daisies and implementing a multi-layered defense strategy is the most reliable way to preserve your plantings.
Assessing African Daisy Palatability to Deer
African Daisies are classified as deer-resistant plants, meaning they are not a preferred food source. This natural resistance is due to the plant’s texture and chemistry, which deer find unappealing. The leaves and stems contain compounds that give them a bitter taste and a strong scent that deer generally avoid.
However, “deer-resistant” does not mean “deer-proof.” Hungry deer will browse plants when preferred food sources are scarce, such as during drought or late winter when forage is limited. New or young African Daisy transplants are particularly vulnerable, as their tissues are softer and lack the full concentration of bitter compounds found in mature foliage.
Immediate Deterrent Applications
Repellents offer a short-term fix to discourage deer from browsing, working by irritating their sense of smell or taste. Commercial repellents often utilize putrescent egg solids, which mimic the smell of predators, or capsaicin, which provides a distasteful experience upon tasting. Apply these products directly to the foliage of your African Daisies, following the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. Home remedies can also be effective, such as sprays containing garlic, hot pepper, or a mixture of soap and eggs. Frequent reapplication is essential, as rain, overhead watering, and dew will wash away the active ingredients, reducing their efficacy.
To prevent deer from becoming accustomed to a single deterrent, rotate between different types of repellents every few weeks. Alternate between odor-based and taste-based formulas.
Motion-activated devices, such as sprinklers, provide a sensory deterrent without chemical application. These devices connect to a garden hose and use an infrared sensor to detect a deer’s presence, releasing a sudden burst of water and sound. This trains the deer to associate the area around your African Daisies with an unpleasant surprise. These scare tactics can be effective in establishing new boundaries and reinforcing the deterrence provided by chemical sprays.
Structural and Long-Term Exclusion
For long-term protection against deer damage, physical barriers are the solution because they block access to the plants. Adult deer can jump fences up to eight feet high, so permanent perimeter fencing must meet this height requirement to be fully effective. Woven wire or high-tensile plastic mesh are durable materials that provide a barrier while minimizing the visual impact on the landscape. If an eight-foot fence is not practical or permitted by local regulations, a shorter, angled fence can be installed to confuse the deer’s depth perception.
Alternatively, using a double-fence system with two shorter fences placed three to five feet apart can be a deterrent. Deer are hesitant to jump into a confined space. A solid six-foot privacy fence can also work, since deer prefer not to jump a barrier when they cannot see a clear landing zone on the other side.
For smaller garden areas or individual African Daisy plants, temporary exclusion devices offer targeted protection. Netting or wire cages, secured with stakes, can be placed directly over vulnerable plantings to create a physical shield against browsing.
Strategically placing African Daisies near high-traffic areas, such as patios or decks, can leverage human presence as a natural deterrent. Deer tend to avoid areas of frequent activity.