Hostas, with their lush foliage and shade-loving nature, are a popular perennial choice for many gardeners, providing texture and color in areas where other plants might struggle. However, the presence of local wildlife, particularly rabbits, can quickly turn an attractive hosta patch into a frustrating problem. Understanding the feeding habits of these common garden visitors is the first step toward protecting your investment and maintaining a healthy landscape.
Confirming Rabbit Consumption of Hostas
Yes, rabbits do eat hostas, finding the leaves particularly attractive, especially the tender new shoots that emerge in the spring. Rabbits are generalist herbivores, meaning they feed on a wide variety of plants. The emerging hosta leaves, sometimes called “pips,” are succulent and contain high water content, making them an easily digestible and appealing food source at the beginning of the growing season. The severity of consumption depends on the local rabbit population density and the availability of other preferred food sources. If alternative forage is scarce, rabbits are more likely to target garden plants, eating the leaves and sometimes the stems down to the ground. Young plants, in particular, can be completely decimated overnight.
Identifying Rabbit Damage to Hostas
Identifying rabbit damage requires looking for specific visual cues that distinguish it from the feeding patterns of other animals like deer or slugs. Rabbits possess sharp incisors and create a notably clean, precise cut on the plant material. The stems or leaves will look as though they have been neatly clipped, often at a distinct 45-degree angle. This differs from deer, which lack upper incisors and typically tear or pull foliage, leaving a ragged, rough edge. Rabbit feeding occurs very close to the ground, typically within a few inches of the soil line.
If damage is seen one to six feet high on the plant, a deer is the more likely culprit. Other evidence pointing to rabbits includes small, round, pea-sized droppings scattered near the damaged plants. Finding these distinctive droppings alongside cleanly clipped stems near the base of the hosta confirms a rabbit is responsible for the damage.
Effective Strategies for Protecting Hostas
The most reliable method for protecting hostas from rabbits involves establishing a physical barrier to exclude them from the plants. Exclusion fencing is highly effective and provides a long-term solution. For an effective fence, use galvanized chicken wire or hardware cloth with a mesh opening of one inch or smaller, which prevents young rabbits from squeezing through.
The fence must be at least 24 to 36 inches high to prevent most cottontail rabbits from jumping over the barrier. Crucially, the wire must be secured at the base to prevent rabbits from digging underneath. Burying the bottom edge of the wire six inches deep is recommended. Alternatively, bend the bottom six to twelve inches outward at a 90-degree angle and secure that flap to the ground with stakes. This outward-facing skirt discourages digging by placing the wire barrier directly in the path of their upward tunneling.
Repellents offer a secondary defense that can make hostas less appealing, but they require consistent reapplication, especially after rain or watering. Commercial granular or liquid repellents often contain ingredients like dried blood meal, which acts as a scent deterrent, or capsaicin (hot pepper), which is a taste repellent. When using liquid sprays, coat the leaves thoroughly to maximize effectiveness, reapplying as directed on the label.
Modifying the surrounding habitat can also discourage rabbits from settling near your hostas. Rabbits seek shelter in dense cover, such as tall weeds, thick brush piles, or wood stacks. Removing or tidying these potential hiding spots reduces the sense of security for rabbits and makes the area less attractive as a permanent foraging location. Combining physical barriers with taste and scent repellents provides the strongest defense against rabbit damage.