brooklyn1 wrote:
"Frank" wrote in message
...
On Apr 3, 9:58 am, wrote:
Greetings all...

Looking for a few suggestions for Deer Resistant Shrubs that can be used
as a hedge.

Something with these characteristics

Zone 6
Dense Compact Shrub
6 - 10' tall
4- 5 ' width
Partial Shade to Full Sun (northeastern exposure.. morning sun_
Evergreen
Highly Deer resistant
Somewhat Drought Tolerant, but is also in a springtime moist location but
dries up
during summer.
Medium Growth
Attractive. Berries are fine.....

Need a row about 35 feet long. Looking for a privacy screen, but only of
medium height
maybe 10' max. I can purchase larger shrubs for immediate functionality,
but can
also do the 3 gallon size and wait 5 years or so.

These will be replacing Russian Olives which grow but are yucky, and
euonymous
'manhattan' which never grows because the deer rip it to shreds as soon as
it develops a
leaf.

I have Ilex crenata "Chesapeake" small leaf Japanese Holly shrubs
as foundation plantings. They look nice, meet all the criteria
however I'm very concerned that they are 'deer candy' and will be
destroyed if used any distance away from the house.

Leylands are too large, Arborvitae have been ripped to shreds. Carmellia's
couldn't
handle temperature ranges and drought. Euonymous and Photinia were both
ripped
to shreds ( even when completely wrapped in 'deer netting").

Anyone currently growing something in a similar situation ???

Thanks !!!

Peter

I don't find deer eating the holly trees/bushes near or away from the
house.
Also, deer generally do not eat evergreens such as pine or hemlock.
If they do, they are starving as it supplies no nutrients.

I don't know about the nutrients, I would suspect from how my deer love the
soft needled hemlock the they think otherwise. And they seem to really
enjoy the twigs and bark. Maybe your deer are picker than mine, around here
no conifers are off the deer menu except spruce... and during lean winters
they'll munch spruce too.

Because the OP is replacing deciduous shrubs I was going to suggest barberry
but then I noticed he desires evergreens. Barberrry makes an excellent
dence hedge that's easy to shear into any form and because of the thorns is
very deer proof... its fall folaige is a gorgeous crimson and will be loaded
with bright red or yellow berries well into winter... it also reseeds itself
readily. Barberry attracts small birds for nesting, the thorns repel
preditors, and its deep roots offer good erosion control on slopes.



It depends on the season. In the depths of winter when snow cover is
heavy I've had deer standing next to the house munching my evergreen
foundation plants. Deer are ruminates and never have an empty stomach
and have been found starved to death with stomachs full of vegetation
that has no nutrient value.

Like people, they also have preferred food. I've been trying to
establish ivy on slopes and had been frustrated with beds looking like
they were establishing to disappear during winter.