Ligustrum, commonly known as privet, is a widely planted shrub valued for its dense foliage, making it a preferred choice for creating privacy screens and formal hedges in residential landscapes. Homeowners living in areas with active deer populations frequently wonder if this popular landscaping plant can withstand browsing pressure. As a fast-growing, semi-evergreen or deciduous shrub, privet provides structure and green space throughout much of the year.
Understanding Ligustrum’s Deer Resistance Rating
Ligustrum is generally recognized as a plant with low palatability, meaning it is not a preferred food source for white-tailed deer. Many plant rating systems, such as those used by agricultural extension services, categorize privet as being “rarely damaged” or “seldom severely damaged” by deer browsing. This inherent resistance is largely due to the chemical composition of the plant’s leaves and stems.
The foliage of privet contains mild toxins, specifically certain alkaloids, which impart a bitter taste that deer naturally tend to avoid. While these compounds do not make the plant entirely deer-proof, they render it unappealing compared to other, more succulent vegetation. Deer are selective foragers who prefer tender, high-nutrient plants, and they typically bypass privet in favor of more palatable options in the landscape.
As the privet growth matures and becomes more woody, the likelihood of a deer choosing to browse it decreases. The tough, older stems and mature leaves are less digestible and less tempting than young, soft shoots. This structural change over time reinforces the plant’s defense against herbivory. Consequently, a well-established privet hedge is less likely to suffer sustained damage than a newly planted one.
Environmental Factors That Increase Browsing
A plant’s low palatability can be overridden by certain environmental stressors that drastically limit a deer’s food supply. The most significant factor is the scarcity of preferred forage, which often occurs during harsh winter months or periods of extreme drought. When a deer faces starvation, it becomes an opportunistic feeder and will turn to less desirable plants like privet.
High local deer population density also increases the pressure on all available vegetation, including deer-resistant varieties. In areas where the deer herd exceeds the landscape’s carrying capacity, browsing is more intense and less selective, increasing the risk of damage to privet. The most vulnerable part of the privet is the new, tender growth that emerges in spring and early summer. These soft shoots contain less of the deterrent alkaloid compounds and are more succulent, making them an attractive target even when other food is available.
Deer browsing on privet is often highly concentrated during the winter when natural food sources are covered by snow or have become dormant. This seasonal pattern indicates that the plant’s resistance is relative to the availability and quality of other food items in the immediate environment. The stress of limited forage forces deer to consume plant material they would otherwise ignore.
Effective Measures to Protect Your Privet
Physical barriers offer the most reliable form of protection. For large areas, a permanent fence is highly effective, though it typically needs to be at least eight feet tall to prevent deer from jumping over it. Individual plants can be protected using wire mesh cages or polypropylene tree wraps, which physically exclude the deer from the foliage.
Repellents provide another layer of defense, working through either an offensive smell or an unpleasant taste. The most effective chemical deterrents often contain putrescent egg solids, which mimic the smell of a predator or decay, signaling danger to the deer. These sprays should be applied directly to the plant’s foliage before browsing begins and must be reapplied every four to six weeks, or immediately following heavy rainfall, to maintain effectiveness.
Management practices can also help reduce the temptation for deer to browse. Since deer leave a torn, ragged edge when they feed, homeowners should prune any damaged branches with clean cuts to help the plant heal quickly and reduce the risk of disease. Pruning to remove excess soft new growth during periods of peak deer hunger may seem counterintuitive but can reduce the amount of highly appealing material available to the deer.