Groundhogs, also known as woodchucks, are common garden wildlife famous for their extensive burrow systems and voracious appetite for vegetation. These large rodents can quickly become a nuisance for homeowners and gardeners. The hydrangea shrub, with its lush leaves and abundant blooms, unfortunately places it directly in the path of a groundhog looking for a meal. Understanding the relationship between this pest and this ornamental plant is the first step toward effective protection.
The Likelihood of Groundhogs Eating Hydrangeas
The direct answer to whether groundhogs eat hydrangeas is yes, they will, especially when preferred food sources are scarce. Hydrangeas are not a primary staple of the groundhog diet, but they are not immune to damage. Groundhogs consume the leaves, tender stems, and flower buds, often targeting the soft, new growth that emerges in the spring or after pruning.
Damage often occurs during peak foraging times, typically early morning and late afternoon. If a groundhog’s established burrow is located nearby, the plant becomes an easily accessible food source. Consumption of these shrubs often increases when a groundhog is trying to build up fat reserves before winter hibernation.
Groundhog Dietary Preferences
Groundhogs are largely herbivores, consuming a wide array of plants, though they occasionally eat insects, eggs, and snails. They need to consume a large volume of vegetation, often eating up to 1.5 pounds of food per day, which drives their search for easily digestible plants. This constant need to forage makes them significant garden pests.
Their most desired foods are tender, low-lying plants like clover, alfalfa, and dandelions, which provide necessary hydration. In the garden, they prefer cultivated vegetables such as peas, beans, broccoli, lettuce, and carrot tops. They are more likely to target a vegetable patch before moving on to less palatable ornamental shrubs like hydrangeas.
Flowers are also on the menu, with favorites including sunflowers, daylilies, and marigolds. Groundhogs forage intensely from spring through fall to store energy for winter hibernation. If preferred grasses and garden vegetables are depleted or unavailable, any nearby plant, including a hydrangea, may be consumed.
Distinguishing Groundhog Damage from Other Pests
Identifying the culprit is important because deer and rabbits also feed on hydrangeas, but they leave different signs. Groundhogs leave large, irregular bite marks on the stems and leaves due to their prominent incisor teeth. They are known for clearing large sections of a plant and leaving behind obvious feeding trails.
Unlike deer, which lack upper incisors and tear foliage, leaving ragged edges, groundhogs, like rabbits, make clean cuts. The key difference between groundhog and rabbit damage is the scale and location of their activity. Groundhogs are much larger and often trample plants as they feed, causing widespread damage to an entire shrub.
The most definitive evidence of a groundhog is the presence of a burrow nearby. Groundhog burrows feature a main entrance hole, often 10 to 12 inches wide, marked by a noticeable mound of excavated dirt. These extensive tunnel systems can run 15 to 25 feet long and are typically located under sheds, decks, or dense shrubbery.
Methods for Protecting Vulnerable Plants
The most reliable method for protecting hydrangeas and other plants from groundhogs is physical exclusion. Because groundhogs can climb and are expert diggers, a simple, non-buried fence is ineffective. An effective barrier should be constructed using heavy-gauge wire mesh, at least four feet high, to prevent climbing.
To prevent tunneling underneath, the bottom of the fence must be buried at least 10 to 12 inches deep. Bending the buried section outward in an L-shape further discourages the animal from digging directly next to the fence line. A final measure is to bend the top 12 to 15 inches of the fence outward at a 45-degree angle to deter climbing.
Beyond fencing, habitat modification can make an area less appealing to groundhogs. Removing brush piles, tall weeds, and woodpiles eliminates potential cover and nesting sites. Scent-based repellents, often containing ingredients like castor oil, cayenne pepper, or predator urine, can be applied to plant stems and around burrows to create a distasteful barrier.