Do Deer Eat Coleus? Understanding Deer Behavior in Your Garden

Do Deer Eat Coleus? The Truth About Deer and Your Coleus Plants

If you’ve invested time and effort into creating a beautiful garden with colorful coleus plants, the last thing you want is to wake up one morning and find them decimated by hungry deer. As gardeners in deer-prone areas know all too well, these graceful but voracious creatures can turn a thriving garden into a buffet overnight. But do deer actually eat coleus? The answer isn’t as straightforward as you might hope.

The Short Answer: Do Deer Eat Coleus?

Can deer eat coleus? Yes, they can. But are they attracted to it? No, coleus is not typically a deer attractant. Deer generally find coleus plants unpalatable compared to many other garden varieties. In fact, coleus is often marketed and sold as a ‘deer-resistant’ annual plant due to its slightly toxic properties and taste that deer don’t particularly enjoy.

However, there’s an important distinction between ‘deer-resistant’ and ‘deer-proof’ – no plant is completely safe from deer when they’re hungry enough. While deer don’t typically come to gardens specifically searching for coleus, if they find these plants and there’s nothing else more appealing available, they may certainly nibble on your colorful coleus as a snack or even devour them completely.

This contradiction between coleus being labeled as deer-resistant and the real-world experiences of gardeners who’ve seen their coleus plants reduced to stumps overnight deserves a closer look. Understanding deer behavior and feeding patterns can help explain this apparent paradox.

About Coleus Plants

Before we dive deeper into deer behavior, let’s take a moment to understand what makes coleus such a popular garden choice. Coleus plants (Plectranthus scutellarioides, formerly known as Coleus blumei) are beloved for their stunning, vividly colored foliage that adds vibrant splashes of color to any garden or container.

Native to tropical regions in Southeast Asia, coleus plants have been cultivated for generations to produce hundreds of varieties with leaf colors ranging from rich burgundy and purple to lime green, yellow, orange, and various patterns of speckles and stripes. Their relatively easy care requirements and adaptability to both sun and shade (depending on the variety) make them versatile additions to gardens.

While coleus is technically a perennial in tropical climates (USDA zones 10-11), most gardeners in temperate regions grow it as an annual. These plants are members of the mint family (Lamiaceae), which often contain aromatic oils and compounds that make them less palatable to herbivores – hence their reputation for being somewhat deer-resistant.

Understanding Deer Feeding Habits

To understand why deer might eat coleus despite its supposedly unappetizing qualities, we need to explore deer behavior and feeding patterns.

What Do Deer Typically Prefer to Eat?

Deer are browsers by nature, meaning they prefer to eat leaves, twigs, and shoots from a variety of plants. They typically favor:

• Tender, new growth over tough, mature foliage
• Plants without strong scents, spines, or fuzzy textures
• Plants with high water content and nutritional value
• Plants growing at eye level that don’t require them to bend down too much

In general, deer prefer a relatively bland diet. They tend to avoid plants with aromatic foliage (like many herbs), plants with fuzzy or hairy leaves, and those with bitter tastes or milky sap. This is why many plants in the mint family, including coleus, are often considered deer-resistant.

Why Deer Might Eat Coleus Anyway

Despite coleus not being a preferred food source, there are several reasons why deer might still eat these plants:

1. Food scarcity: During periods of drought or in late winter when food is scarce, deer become less selective about what they eat. A hungry deer will eat almost any vegetation available.
2. Overpopulation: Areas with high deer populations create more competition for preferred food sources, pushing deer to eat less desirable plants.
3. Young deer: Inexperienced deer may sample many plants, including coleus, as part of their learning process.
4. Nutritional needs: Deer might seek specific nutrients found in certain plants, even if the plants aren’t their first choice.
5. Curiosity: Deer are naturally curious and may sample unfamiliar plants in their environment.

It’s also worth noting that deer feeding preferences can vary by region and even between individual deer. What deer avoid in one area might be readily consumed by deer in another location.

Real-World Experiences: When Deer Attack Coleus

While garden centers and plant catalogs may confidently label coleus as deer-resistant, the actual experiences of gardeners tell a more complex story. Many gardeners in deer-heavy areas report that deer have indeed devoured their coleus plants, sometimes reducing them to stumps overnight.

This discrepancy highlights an important point about deer resistance: it exists on a spectrum rather than as an absolute. When deer populations are high or food sources are limited, virtually no plant is completely immune to deer browsing. The classification of “deer-resistant” simply means that, all else being equal, deer will typically choose other plants first.

Gardening in deer territory becomes a big game of trial and error. You might plant coleus one year with no problems, only to find them decimated the next. Or you might notice that deer leave certain varieties of coleus alone while munching on others. These inconsistencies can be frustrating, but they’re a natural part of gardening in areas where wildlife is present.

Strategies to Protect Your Coleus from Deer

If you live in an area with deer and still want to enjoy beautiful coleus plants in your garden, don’t despair. There are several effective strategies you can employ to protect your colorful foliage plants:

Physical Barriers

The most reliable way to protect any plant from deer is with physical barriers:

• Fencing: An 8-foot tall fence is the most effective deer deterrent. Deer can jump quite high, so anything shorter may not be sufficient.
• Netting: Covering plants with deer netting can work well, especially for smaller garden areas.
• Wire cages: Individual plants can be protected with wire cages until they’re established.
• Container gardening: Growing coleus in containers on a porch or patio can keep them out of deer reach.

Repellents

Various commercial and homemade repellents can deter deer through unpleasant tastes or smells:

• Commercial repellents: Products containing eggs, garlic, hot peppers, or predator urine can be effective but need regular reapplication, especially after rain.
• Homemade solutions: Mixtures containing ingredients like garlic, hot sauce, soap, or eggs can work as deterrents.
• Aromatic plants: Surrounding your coleus with strongly scented plants like lavender, rosemary, sage, or mint may help mask their scent and deter deer.

Scare Tactics

Methods to startle or frighten deer away from your garden include:

• Motion-activated sprinklers: These can startle deer with sudden bursts of water.
• Wind chimes or aluminum pie tins: Unexpected noises and reflections can temporarily frighten deer.
• Solar-powered lights: These can simulate predator eyes at night.

Remember that deer are adaptable and may become accustomed to scare tactics over time, so rotating different methods or combining approaches often works best.

Strategic Planting

How and where you plant your coleus can also affect their vulnerability to deer:

• Companion planting: Intersperse coleus with plants that deer strongly dislike, such as strongly aromatic herbs or toxic plants like foxglove.
• Sacrificial plantings: Plant deer favorites away from your main garden to divert their attention.
• Tiered gardening: Place more vulnerable plants closer to your house where deer are less likely to venture.

Alternative Deer-Resistant Plants

If deer pressure is particularly high in your area, you might want to consider alternatives to coleus that are even more reliably deer-resistant:

Seasonal Considerations

The time of year can significantly impact deer browsing behavior. Understanding these patterns can help you protect your coleus more effectively:

Spring: As new growth emerges, deer have more natural food sources available and may be less likely to target garden plants. However, does with fawns have increased nutritional needs and may be more adventurous.

Summer: Food is generally abundant, but during drought conditions, your well-watered garden plants become especially attractive due to their moisture content.

Fall: Deer begin building fat reserves for winter and may increase their browsing. They’re also less cautious as they prepare for mating season.

Winter: With limited food available, deer become much less selective. Any evergreen plants or late-season annuals become prime targets.

Since coleus is typically grown as a summer annual in most regions, the primary concern is usually summer drought periods when deer may be drawn to the moisture-rich leaves of your coleus plants.

Adapting Your Strategy

Successful deer management requires flexibility and observation. What works one season might not work the next as deer adapt and learn. Some approaches to consider:

• Rotate different deterrent methods to prevent deer from becoming accustomed to any single approach
• Observe which plants in your garden deer consistently avoid and which they prefer
• Keep a garden journal noting deer activity patterns and successful prevention methods
• Consult with local gardeners and extension services about deer behavior specific to your region

Remember that complete deer-proofing is rarely achievable without substantial fencing. The goal is to make your garden less appealing than alternative food sources, encouraging deer to forage elsewhere.

Conclusion: Living with Deer and Growing Coleus

While coleus is not typically a deer’s first choice of food, no plant is completely deer-proof when these adaptable creatures are hungry enough. The good news is that with some preventative measures and understanding of deer behavior, you can successfully grow beautiful coleus in your garden even in deer-prone areas.

The key is to employ multiple strategies simultaneously and remain adaptable. What works in one garden or season may not work in another. By combining physical barriers, repellents, smart planting strategies, and vigilance, you can enjoy the vibrant colors of coleus with minimal deer damage.

Remember that gardening in deer territory is always a balance between protecting your plants and accepting that some losses may occur. With patience and persistence, you can create a garden that both you and the local wildlife can coexist with – even if that means occasionally replanting a few coleus after an unexpected deer visit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Are all varieties of coleus equally resistant to deer?

A: No, deer preferences may vary between different coleus varieties. Those with stronger scents or more bitter compounds may be less appealing, but individual deer may have different preferences.

Q: Will deer eat coleus in containers on my porch?

A: Deer are less likely to approach areas close to human habitation, so container plantings on porches or patios are generally safer. However, particularly bold or hungry deer might still investigate.

Q: Do commercial deer repellents really work?

A: Most commercial repellents have some effectiveness, but results vary widely. Products containing egg solids, predator urine, or hot pepper compounds tend to be more effective, but all require regular reapplication, especially after rain.

Q: Is it worth planting coleus in an area with high deer populations?

A: Yes, it can be, especially if you’re willing to employ protection strategies or if your particular local deer haven’t developed a taste for coleus. Start with a small planting to observe local deer behavior before investing in larger quantities.

Q: Can deer become sick from eating coleus?

A: Coleus contains some compounds that can cause mild digestive upset in large quantities, which is partly why deer typically avoid them when other food is available. However, these compounds aren’t toxic enough to cause serious harm to deer.

Author

Shinta

 

Shinta is a biotechnologist turned writer. She holds a master's degree in Biotechnology from Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences and a PG Diploma in cellular and molecular diagnostics from Manipal University. Shinta realised her love for content while working as an editor for a scientific journal.

Read full bio of Shinta