Is Black Lace Elder Deer-Resistant?

Description

• Black lace elder flourishes in a location that receives sun exposure or partial shade, but its foliage color is most striking when the plant is in full sun. The shrub grows to about 8 feet tall without pruning and can be maintained as a smaller shrub with pruning. Black lace elder is adaptable to many soil types and is drought-tolerant, cold-hardy and heat-tolerant. Birds and other wildlife eat the plant's blackish red berries that follow the pink blooms. The berries also are used to make jam and wine. Deer don't like to eat black lace elder or related elder species, but that may browse those shrubs under adverse conditions.

Deer Eating Habits

• Deer have a preference for some plants over other plants, but deer preferences may vary in different regions. When deer browse landscape plants, they first eat young, tender growth. During severe winter weather with heavy snowfall, starving deer eat almost anything, including plants designated "deer-resistant," such as black lace elder. The factors that influence which plants deer eat depend on the winter's severity and the availability of native plants, density of the deer population and recent loss of deer habitat. Generally, deer do not browse deer-resistant ornamental plants during mild winters.

Recovery from Deer Damage

• A black lace elder browsed by deer during a severe winter may recover if it is watered adequately in spring and weeds are not allowed to suffocate it. In the wild, native plants are browsed by deer frequently and recover rapidly in spring. In fact, winter deer browsing, like pruning, stimulates new growth.

Minimization of Deer Damage

• Reserve use of chemical deer repellents for plants known to be susceptible to deer browsing. Other measures can ensure protection of a deer-resistant plant, such as black lace elder, during severe winters: Plant it near the house, use a barrier such as fencing or keep dogs on the property. Dogs are very effective in chasing deer off a property. Another strategy is to avoid planting a deer-preferred plant, which routinely attracts deer.