GARDENING WITH DEER

TREES AND VINES DEER USUALLY DON'T EAT

.......California natives are in bold type

Avocado

Evergreen. Can be grown in tub and brought in for protection in winter. There is a very large Avocado growing in Santa Rosa, it even fruits on occasion, but this really is out of their comfort zone up here.

Aristolochia

("Dutchman's Pipe Vine") A native deciduousvine that is quite pretty, has intriguing flowers and is THE larval food for the Dutchman's Pipe Vine Swallowtail butterfly. The caterpillars are cute, black with orange dots in two rows along their length, and can be very voracious. Even when they eat almost every leave it doesn't seem to hurt the vine for next year. Vine takes two years in the ground to get going, but once it starts it is very vigorous where happy. Likes shade and seems to respond well to some watering.

Clematis

Many of these seem to be relatively deer resistant. Clemetis armandii, the evergreen one, and Clemetis paniculata, "Sweet Autumn Glory" are good ones to try.

Aristolochia

Douglas Fir

A conifer with the classic "Christmas tree" smell. Most conifers are deer resistant.

Fig

Beautiful leaves and interesting winter shape and edible fruit! Not for cold winter areas, and it is one of the favorite foods of gophers

Mayten

Evergreen with wonderfully graceful long dangling branches of small light green leaves. Rather slow growing and never becomes really large. Appreciates water but is drought tolerant. Root sprouts can sometimes be a real problem

Montery Cypress

The large windbreak tree. Can be kept sheared as a rough large hedge or screen.

Redwood

Large and beautiful where adapted. To look its best needs moist soil and /or regular fog. It seems a crime, but can be sheared into large hedge.

Solanum

("potato vine") There is the classic, ubiquitous white potato vine, but there is also the very nice "purple potato vine" - Solanum crispum 'Glasnevin' which is more of a sprawling large viney shrub with flowers that are more blue (with yellow centers) than purple. Very nice plant for a somewhat shady or cooler location.

Spruce

A rather fornal looking conifer, with a lot of available variations.