Gardeners often face the challenge of preserving their ornamental plants from local wildlife that view landscaping as a convenient food source. Managing these interactions requires understanding the feeding habits of common garden visitors, particularly rabbits, which are known to browse a wide variety of tender vegetation. Choosing plants that rabbits naturally avoid can significantly reduce the need for constant vigilance and protective measures.
Are Coral Bells Resistant to Rabbits?
Coral Bells, scientifically known as Heuchera, are widely recognized as a plant that rabbits tend to avoid. The leaves of Heuchera possess a naturally tough or leathery texture that makes them physically less appealing compared to soft, tender foliage. The plant’s chemical composition also contributes to its general resistance, as the leaves contain astringent compounds that impart a bitter taste. This unpleasant flavor acts as a mild deterrent, often causing a rabbit to take one sample bite and then move on.
While Heuchera is considered resistant, no plant is entirely immune to browsing, particularly under specific environmental conditions. When a rabbit population is high or when preferred food sources become scarce, such as during a drought or late winter, a hungry rabbit will eat almost any available green material. Some newer cultivars of Coral Bells with exceptionally soft foliage may be slightly more vulnerable than the older, tougher varieties. Resistance simply means the plant is a low-preference food choice, not a guarantee of absolute protection.
Factors Influencing Rabbit Palatability
A rabbit’s decision to eat a specific plant is influenced by a combination of physical and chemical factors. Plants with a strong, pungent scent often repel rabbits because they contain volatile essential oils that the animals find offensive. Aromatic herbs like sage, rosemary, and mint are frequently avoided due to these strong odors.
Another significant deterrent is the presence of toxic or bitter-tasting compounds, such as alkaloids, which can cause mild digestive upset. This chemical defense mechanism prompts rabbits to instinctively avoid any plants that produce a milky sap or have a noticeably sharp, acrid flavor. The physical texture of the foliage also plays a role, as rabbits generally steer clear of leaves that are fuzzy, prickly, or unusually tough. Conversely, plants with smooth, soft, and high-moisture foliage, like tulips or young hostas, are typically among a rabbit’s favorite meals.
Identifying Signs of Rabbit Damage
Distinguishing rabbit browsing from damage caused by other wildlife requires careful examination of the affected plants. Rabbits possess sharp upper and lower incisors that create a very clean, slanted cut on plant stems, appearing as if the stem was snipped off with a knife. This characteristic 45-degree angle cut helps differentiate rabbit damage from the ragged, torn ends left behind by deer, which lack lower incisors and must pull and rip the vegetation.
Rabbits typically graze close to the ground, rarely browsing higher than 24 inches. Damage is often concentrated on newly emerging growth and tender young stems. Evidence of rabbit presence is often confirmed by finding small, round, pellet-like droppings scattered near the feeding area, which is distinct from the larger, clumped scat of deer.
Protecting Your Landscape from Browsing
The most reliable method for protecting valued plants from rabbit browsing is the installation of a physical barrier. A low fence constructed from chicken wire or hardware cloth is effective if it is at least 24 inches high to prevent jumping. Crucially, the bottom edge of the fence must be buried at least 4 to 6 inches deep or bent outward into an L-shaped flap and secured to the soil surface. This buried or flanged section prevents rabbits from digging underneath the barrier to gain access.
Chemical repellents can offer a secondary line of defense, working through either scent or taste to make the plants undesirable. Taste-based repellents often use compounds like capsaicin or putrescent egg solids to create an unpleasant flavor when the plant is sampled. Scent-based products typically rely on strong odors that mimic the presence of a predator. Both types of repellents require regular reapplication, especially after heavy rain or as new plant growth emerges.
Cultural controls should also be employed to make the landscape less inviting to rabbits. Removing brush piles, tall weeds, and dense ground cover that provide safe harbor will discourage them from nesting nearby. Keeping the grass cut short around garden beds also reduces cover and increases a rabbit’s exposure to predators.