Creeping phlox (Phlox subulata) is a popular, low-maintenance ground cover. While rabbits generally avoid creeping phlox, they are not strictly immune to consuming it. The plant is often classified as “rabbit-resistant” due to its physical characteristics, but this resistance can fail when a rabbit’s preferred food sources become scarce.
Creeping Phlox Palatability for Rabbits
Creeping phlox is not a preferred food source for rabbits due to its specific texture and composition. The plant’s small, needle-like leaves are semi-evergreen and possess a tough, abrasive quality that many herbivores find unappetizing. Rabbits typically favor tender, broad-leaf vegetation with higher water and nutrient content, such as clover or young shoots.
The tough, spiky leaf structure of Phlox subulata makes it less palatable than softer, more succulent alternatives. This physical deterrent means rabbits usually bypass the phlox in favor of easier meals when other plants are available. However, “rabbit-resistant” implies a low preference, not complete immunity, meaning the plant may still be consumed under environmental pressures.
Environmental Factors That Increase Consumption
The primary reason rabbits turn to creeping phlox is a lack of better options, driven by environmental conditions. When normal forage is unavailable or competition for food is high, their dietary selectivity decreases significantly. This often occurs during winter, when snow cover eliminates ground-level vegetation, forcing rabbits to chew on whatever green material they can access.
Drought conditions in summer can also reduce the availability of tender, moisture-rich plants, pushing rabbits toward tougher foliage like phlox. Young, newly planted phlox or new spring growth will be more vulnerable than established plants. These fresh shoots lack the full abrasive texture of the mature plant, making them a more appealing target. High local rabbit population density can also increase pressure on all available food sources, regardless of palatability.
Recognizing Rabbit Damage on Creeping Phlox
Identifying rabbit damage requires looking for specific signs that distinguish their feeding from that of other garden pests like deer or voles. Rabbits possess sharp incisor teeth, which leave a characteristic clean, angled cut on the stems. This cut is often precise, appearing as if the stem was neatly clipped at a 45-degree angle.
This clean cut differs significantly from the damage left by deer, who lack upper incisors and tend to tear or shred foliage, resulting in a ragged, uneven edge. Rabbit feeding damage is typically found close to the ground, usually within 18 to 24 inches, or at the height of the snow line in winter. Finding small, round, pellet-like droppings (scat) near the damaged plants provides confirmation of the rabbit’s presence.
Practical Measures for Protecting Your Phlox
The most effective method for protecting creeping phlox is the deployment of physical exclusion barriers. A low fence, made of chicken wire or hardware cloth with mesh openings no larger than one inch, can deter rabbits effectively. This barrier should stand at least 24 inches tall and be secured a few inches underground, often bent outward in an “L” shape, to prevent rabbits from digging underneath.
Repellents offer a secondary line of defense and typically work through scent or taste aversion. Scent-based products, often containing ingredients like garlic or predator urine, make the area smell unpleasant. Taste-based repellents, such as those containing putrescent egg solids or bitter agents, coat the plant and make it unpalatable upon consumption. Rotating between scent and taste repellents is important, as rabbits can become accustomed to a single deterrent over time.