The Mimosa tree (Albizia julibrissin), also known as the Silk Tree, is a fast-growing ornamental tree popular in residential landscapes across the United States due to its delicate, fern-like foliage and pink, puffy flowers. In areas where white-tailed deer populations are high, gardeners frequently face the conflict of protecting their plants from browsing animals. Determining whether deer will eat this tree is a practical concern for homeowners. This article assesses the Mimosa tree’s palatability to deer and offers steps for its protection.
Mimosa Trees: Palatability and Deer Resistance
The Mimosa tree is generally classified as a plant that is less preferred by deer, giving it a degree of resistance. Deer usually avoid browsing on it when more desirable food sources are readily available. The plant’s defense mechanism may be linked to neurotoxins present in its seeds and seed pods, which contribute to an unappealing taste or texture that deer instinctively avoid. Despite this lower palatability, no plant is truly deer-proof, as a deer’s diet is highly flexible and driven by environmental necessity.
Periods of environmental stress, such as drought or severe winter weather, reduce the availability of preferred forage, forcing deer to browse on less desirable species. When high deer pressure exists, even resistant plants can sustain significant damage. Young Mimosa saplings are particularly vulnerable because their bark and tender new shoots are often more palatable than the tougher growth of mature trees.
Specific Deer Browsing Habits on Mimosa
When deer target the Mimosa tree for consumption, they focus on the most tender and easily digestible parts. In the spring, deer browse on the soft, new growth and emerging leaves at the tips of the branches. This new foliage is higher in protein and moisture than older growth, making it an attractive target despite the tree’s resistance. Deer lack upper incisors, resulting in a rough, torn, or shredded appearance on browsed branches, which distinguishes the damage from the clean cuts left by rabbits.
Damage to the main trunk and branches is often a result of antler rubbing rather than feeding, and this behavior typically occurs during the fall rutting season. Male deer rub their antlers against the bark to remove velvet and mark their territory, which can strip the bark completely from the tree trunk. The Mimosa tree’s thin and smooth bark, combined with its weak, brittle wood, makes it susceptible to structural damage from this rubbing behavior. This type of injury can girdle a young tree, cutting off the flow of nutrients and water and leading to its death.
Effective Strategies for Protecting Your Trees
Implementing physical barriers is the most reliable method for protecting Mimosa trees, especially vulnerable young saplings. Installing a temporary wire cage or tree shelter around the trunk and lower branches will prevent both browsing and antler rubbing. For comprehensive protection of a larger area, a permanent fence must be at least eight feet tall, as deer are capable of clearing lower barriers.
Chemical deterrents offer another layer of defense, working by taste or odor to repel deer before they feed. Products containing ingredients that mimic the smell of a decaying animal or taste foul, like putrescent egg solids or capsaicin, can be applied directly to the foliage. For these repellents to remain effective, they must be reapplied frequently, especially after rainfall or heavy dew, to maintain the deterrent effect.
Simple, readily available items can also serve as effective odor repellents. Some gardeners report success using bars of strong-smelling soap hung from branches about three to four feet off the ground. A successful strategy involves rotating between different types of repellents so that deer do not become accustomed to a single smell or taste. Additionally, avoiding the planting of highly palatable species nearby can help reduce the attraction of deer to the general area.