Daylilies (Hemerocallis) are popular, resilient perennials chosen by gardeners for their vibrant colors and hardiness. These plants frequently share their landscape with wildlife, particularly rabbits, which thrive in residential settings. The presence of these common garden visitors leads many plant enthusiasts to wonder if their daylilies are at risk of becoming a convenient snack. Understanding rabbit feeding patterns is the first step in successful garden protection.
Rabbit Feeding Habits on Daylilies
Rabbits consume daylilies, targeting the most tender parts of the plant, which are the most nutritious and easiest to chew. Young shoots emerging in the spring are particularly vulnerable to being eaten down to the ground. Consumption is opportunistic, driven by the availability of other food sources. Rabbits are most likely to feed on the plants in early spring when fresh vegetation is scarce, or during periods of drought. They will also readily eat the developing flower buds, removing the entire day’s bloom before it opens.
Recognizing Rabbit Damage
Identifying rabbit damage is important because their feeding signs differ significantly from other common garden pests like deer. Rabbits, equipped with sharp incisors, leave a clean, angled cut on the stems and foliage. This clean, 45-degree cut looks as if the plant was neatly snipped with shears. This damage is typically found close to the ground, usually less than two feet high, characteristic of the rabbit’s low browsing height. Damage from deer, by contrast, is often ragged or torn because they lack upper incisors and must pull the material. The presence of small, round, pellet-like droppings scattered nearby provides further confirmation.
Toxicity Concerns of Daylilies
While rabbits consume daylilies, the plant is generally not considered acutely toxic to them, though it is not a recommended part of their diet. Ingestion of large quantities may still lead to digestive upset or gastrointestinal issues. Rabbits often avoid daylilies once more palatable food is available. The more serious concern involves cats, as the plant is highly toxic to felines. All parts of the daylily (Hemerocallis) can cause severe, acute kidney injury in cats, even through the ingestion of a small amount of plant material or pollen. Gardens with daylilies should be viewed with caution if cats are present.
Effective Strategies for Protecting Daylilies
The most reliable way to protect daylilies from rabbit feeding is through the use of physical barriers. A low fence constructed of chicken wire or hardware cloth is highly effective, provided it is installed correctly. The mesh size should be one inch or smaller to prevent smaller rabbits from squeezing through.
The barrier must be at least two feet high, as this is typically sufficient to discourage cottontail rabbits from jumping over it. To prevent rabbits from burrowing underneath, the bottom edge of the fence material should be buried at least six inches into the ground. An alternative to burial is bending the bottom six to twelve inches of the mesh outward on the soil surface and securing it with landscape staples.
Repellents offer a secondary line of defense that works by taste or odor, making the plants unappealing. Commercial repellents often use ingredients like putrescent egg solids, garlic, or white pepper, which deter rabbits by mimicking the smell of predators or signaling strong, unpleasant flavors. These products require reapplication every few weeks and after rain, as their effectiveness diminishes over time.
Home remedies, such as a spray made from hot pepper or garlic, can also be used, but they similarly require frequent application and should be tested on a small area first to ensure they do not damage the foliage. Cultural controls are also important, involving the removal of nearby brush piles, tall weeds, and debris that provide rabbits with safe cover and nesting sites. Modifying the habitat makes the area less attractive for rabbits to settle and feed.