Are Pentas Deer Resistant?

Identification

• Although there are other species in the Pentas genus, Egyptian star flower is the main one used in American gardens. Native to Yemen and eastern Africa, Egyptian star flower is winter hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 and 11. Its seasonal blooms come in shades of white, pink, lavender, magenta and red. It grows well in full sun or part shade, although it produces the best blooms in full sun. Plant in average, well-drained soil with medium moisture for best results.

Deer Resistance

• What deer will and will not eat depends on the time of year, how hungry deer are and where your plants are -- deer are less likely to eat them if they are close to the house. Egyptian star flower is classified as “seldom damaged” to “frequently damaged” on botanical websites, and there is no way to tell how yours will fare until you plant them in the yard. Because deer are nocturnal, it isn’t always easy to catch them in the act, but they do leave telltale signs.

Signs of Deer Damage

• Signs of deer presence include hoof prints and piles of dark, pellet-shaped droppings. Another way to tell is to look at the damage on stems, leaves or flowers. Whereas rabbits snip food off cleanly at a 45-degree angle, deer don’t have sharp teeth, and must twist and break the foliage off, leaving a jagged end. Deer are also capable of reaching plants several feet up, which smaller animals such as rabbits are not.

Repelling Strategies

• The one tried-and-true strategy for keeping deer out of your garden is fencing. They can usually clear a 6-foot fence without trouble, so building it 7 or 8 feet tall is the best bet. When your garden is at the bottom of a slope, you’ll need to build the fence higher -- 10 or 11 feet -- to keep deer from jumping down the hill and over the fence. Other repelling methods include tying up bags of human hair or strong-smelling soap around your garden and applying commercially available products such as wolf urine or chemicals that make flowers and foliage distasteful. However, none of these methods works nearly as well as fencing.