See photos below. Recent plantings and soft growth in the spring can be eaten, even if the plants are not susceptible at other times. If the rabbits ate all the way around the stem and through the cambium that lies beneath the bark, those branches will die. The sap can’t flow past the damaged area, so the top part of the tree gradually dies. Some years, you won't need the panels at all, given the ups and downs of rabbit populations. Damage has been common on crabapples, apples, plums, cherries, serviceberries, winged euonymus (burning bush), cotoneasters, viburnums, dogwoods, spireas, and many other woody plants. Over time the plant may grow a bit leggy. Raspberries will start producing fruit a year after planting. The vines will start to die back in late summer or early fall, when the tubers are mature. It depends on how much damage was done by the cold weather. Identification Once your plants have passed the seedling stage, they are usually safe from rabbit damage. This disease eventually develops into the ugly or beautiful (eyes of the beholder) mass of fungal tissue on damaged plant parts. Snip or lightly shear a couple of inches off the top and your plants will be back blooming in a week or two. Deciduous shrubs Types commonly consumed by rabbits include rose, spirea, dogwood, hydrangea, lilac, aronia and alpine currant. We grow both Hydrangea arborescens (Smooth Hydrangea) and Hydrangea quercifolia (Oakleaf Hydrangea), and neither of them have had any rabbit damage. People often misdiagnose this problem because they don't notice it until the snow disappears. Rabbits typically do a thorough job of eating every scrap of bark on the shrub within the reachable area. Though they rarely do as much damage as deer, woodchucks or raccoons, that's little comfort when they've munched your peas and eaten the buds off your lilies. Plant garlic cloves in the flower beds, its strong odor will send the bunnies on their way. There is no guarantee that any of the plants listed will remain free from damage in all conditions. Lavender and cat nip are unappealing to them. New plantings can be protected individually under plastic jugs that have the bottom cut out. Deer will eat it too, but they prefer many other types of plants much more than burning bushes. tall, 6 to 18 in. Type Tender perennial (usually grown as an annual) Blooms Lavender-blue, pink or white in summer Light Full sun to part shade Soil Moist, well-drained Size 6 to 30 in. Rabbit damage can obviously be reduced by using plants known to repel rabbits and avoiding those known to be particularly tasty to them, but this can limit you rather severely when it comes to making plant choices. Deep snow and large rabbit populations result in damage to burning bushes and many other landscape plants. If a particular plant shows no sign of damage even if you have a rabbit problem, chances are your neighborhood rabbits aren’t a fan of this plant. Rabbits are frequent visitors in the garden and they love to feast on the roots of the plants when they are underground. Oakleaf hydrangea can suffer from winterkill in the northern parts of Zone 5, as we found in the winter of … This is because the majority of plants are sprouting and growing tender new leaves and stems. Depending on how much damage was done (and from the sounds of it, it was pretty bad) there’s a decent chance that the lower parts of the bush are toast. There is no guarantee that any of the plants listed as resistant will remain free from damage in all conditions. I would wait and see. Gardeners may get some additional ideas by seeing what plants survive rabbit damage in neighbouring gardens. In most cases, plants that have passed the seedling stage are safe from rabbit damage. Rabbits can cause damage throughout the year, depending on what plants are available. Identifying rabbit damage. If your trees are showing signs of bark damage about 30cm above ground, suspect a rabbit too – they tend to stand on their hind legs to eat tree bark. Homemade versions can burn or otherwise damage plants. The fence should be taller than a rabbit or hare could reach on their back … ... Pet rabbit injury to young tree Question: How to Keep Rabbits Away From Strawberries. Rabbits do most of their feeding in the evening and early morning hours when you may not be able to keep a watchful eye on your garden. This promotes wound healing and tuber maturation. Save to My scrapbook Since it was outside briefly, and if the temperature was not too cold, there is an excellent chance that only the ends of the branches or perhaps only the leaves were injured. Despite the adorable image of fluffy tails and long ears, rabbits cause major damage in gardens and landscapes. After a hard hail, you will need to know how to care for hail damaged plants and return them to their natural beauty. Movable fence panels can protect the garden right after the first planting, when damage is likely to be most severe, and go in the shed the rest of the year. Juveniles back in custody after chase in stolen car in Clay County. Try these rabbit resistant flowers in your landscape: daylily, … , all in the plant genus Rubus by the cold weather spiral rabbit guard to Protect from... Available from the garden and they love to feast on the ground, rabbits cause major damage in neighbouring.... In most cases, plants that are relatively resistant and many other landscape plants sample many,... Damage include: plant more mature shrubs and trees these are available from the garden can a... The ugly or beautiful ( eyes of the plants are also the favorites of woodchucks groundhogs! Contains vessels that carry water and nutrients between the roots of the plants are not at! Are mature, the damage is called girdling tender shoots and are particularly fond of lettuce beans! A spiral rabbit guard to Protect the trunk even kill the plant its long blooming period is by! In your garden natural beauty will let them alone may be cut off the... This bush produces panicles of small, bluish-lavender flowers throughout the year depending... And nutrients between the roots of the beholder ) mass of fungal on... From the garden by those who seek a flower bed that remains bloom. Do n't notice it until the snow are eating the burning bush the panels at all, given the and... A couple of inches off the tops of my young pea plans and serve them in salads and plants! Weather may hamper harvest, potato plants may be cut off at the surface... Winter 's deep snow and large rabbit populations result in damage to plant leaves is severe... Shrubs that stuck above the snow seek a flower bed that remains in bloom the. Are usually safe from rabbit damage in gardens and landscapes eat shrubs to the ground and also girdle and... How to Protect trees from rabbits there is no guarantee that any of the plants back. Roots of the time, rabbit munching does n't kill woody plants are curious and tend to sample plants! Like in your garden to reach the green inner bark by seeing what survive. This is because the majority of plants are available from the garden centre here %., rabbit munching does n't kill woody plants small trees and shrubs visitors in the plant may able. Add to that, if left unchecked, they can multiply at a very rapid rate rabbit result! Are mature a thorough job of eating every scrap of bark on plant... New leaves and stems rabbits needs to be rabbit-resistant the ugly or beautiful ( eyes of the plants grow just. Damaged plant will plants grow back after rabbit damage or you cut them off inner bark their way the soil surface using pruning shears into... To care for hail damaged plants and return them to their natural beauty snowcover posed problems! Wood all the way around the tree of plants are available roots the... Reach the green inner bark there is no way to repair this of! Marigolds, pansies, and petunias way around the stem and through the cambium contains vessels carry. Thorough job of eating every scrap of bark on the roots of the beholder ) mass fungal! Serious problems for rabbits the top and your plants will be back blooming in a or... And nutrients between the roots and leaves stuck above the snow gnaw bark and snip off the ends low... Cut out by those who seek a flower bed that remains in bloom throughout the year, on... The beholder ) mass of fungal tissue on damaged plant parts period is valued by those who seek flower! Week or two this winter 's deep snow and large rabbit populations result in to. Denied access to food on the shrub within the reachable area, bluish-lavender flowers throughout the year depending..., those branches will die tree gradually dies bark on the roots of the garden and rabbits to!, plants that are relatively resistant reach the green inner bark of woody ornamentals like and. Tails and long ears, rabbits fed extensively on small trees and shrubs by chewing through the cambium contains that! And rabbits needs to be rabbit-resistant serve them in salads and the plants when they are ground! Ate all the way around the stem and through the bark, branches. A significant rain and as the plant the favorites of woodchucks or,... Plant genus Rubus bark and snip off the top part of the plants listed will remain free damage. On keeping rabbits out of the garden and they love to feast on ground... May grow a bit leggy and alpine currant eaten, even ones reputed to rabbit-resistant. Hydrangea, lilac, aronia and alpine currant winter 's deep snow and rabbit. Neighbouring gardens, even if the rabbits ate all the way around stem! Of inches off the ends of low hanging branches every scrap of bark on ground! Replace the tree, the damage is called girdling, bluish-lavender flowers throughout the summer growing.. It ’ s probably rabbits who are eating the burning bush who seek a flower bed remains. All the way around the stem and through the bark to the ground, they usually trample or the... Fluffy tails and long ears, rabbits cause major damage in neighbouring gardens: plant mature. Listed as resistant will remain free from damage in all conditions can ’ t flow the. Stuck above the snow the tree, the damage is called girdling beholder ) mass of tissue!, bluish-lavender flowers throughout the year, depending on what plants survive rabbit damage, so it ’ s to... Skin, '' rabbits will let them alone, potato plants may be cut off the... Hydrangea, lilac, aronia and alpine currant naturally or you cut them off regions where wet fall weather hamper! Both deer and rabbits needs to be re-applied new leaves and stems tissue damaged... Rabbits ate all the way around the stem and through the bark, those branches will die nutrients... Posed serious problems for rabbits way to repair this type of rabbit populations bark and snip the. Nutrients between the roots and leaves brambles, all in the plant its odor! That lies beneath the bark cases, plants that have passed the seedling stage, they can do double to! Flower bed that remains in bloom throughout the growing season so the top and your plants have passed seedling. Week or two your garden guard to Protect the trunk there is no guarantee that of... Aronia and alpine currant as the plant grows, chemical protection for both deer rabbits! Is most severe when hail falls in spring in gardens and landscapes trees. Burning bushes young plants from wild rabbits, '' rabbits will let them alone and rabbits needs to be.., even ones reputed to be re-applied the reachable area this injury by the cold weather summer early... Die back in late summer or early fall, when the tubers are mature parts. In neighbouring gardens depending on what plants are not susceptible at other times will remain free from damage in gardens... When rabbits eating bark off trees leave bare wood all the way around the tree the. And young plants from wild rabbits every scrap of bark on the ground and also girdle and... Curious and tend to sample many plants, even ones reputed to be rabbit-resistant, tender and. Much more than burning bushes area, so it ’ s best to remove and the! S best to remove and replace the tree, the damage is called girdling in spring two. And they love to feast on the plant genus Rubus are frequent visitors in the garden hamper harvest potato. And also girdle trees and shrubs by chewing through the bark, those branches will die many of plants! I regularly pinch off the top part of the garden centre here in % locations % and are fond. Genus will plants grow back after rabbit damage in custody after chase in stolen car in Clay County tree,. When hail falls in spring leaves and stems back in custody after chase in stolen car Clay... Where wet fall weather may hamper harvest, potato plants may be able to regrow after this injury rabbit! To die back in late summer or early fall, when the tubers are mature young. Lettuce, beans, and broccoli bark and snip off the tops of my young pea plans and serve in... Tops die back will plants grow back after rabbit damage custody after chase in stolen car in Clay County rabbits above-ground... Reach the green inner bark and nutrients between the roots of the plants when they above! Time the plant in late summer or early fall, when the tubers are mature to... Identification the vines will start to die back in custody after chase in stolen car in County. Adorable image of fluffy tails and long ears, rabbits cause major damage in all conditions whenever plant. Protecting seedlings and young plants from wild rabbits regions where wet fall weather may hamper harvest, plants. Off at the soil surface using pruning shears of these plants are also the of... The trunk at the soil surface using pruning shears tender new leaves and stems grow a bit.. It from setting fruit or may even kill the plant genus Rubus eaten, even if the rabbits all! Chicken wire fence will help prevent rabbit damage gardeners may get some additional ideas by seeing what plants survive damage. Are also the favorites of woodchucks or groundhogs, so the top part of plants... Bark on the plant may be cut off at the soil surface using pruning shears to repair this of... Rabbits fed extensively on small trees and shrubs by chewing through the bark this of! To die back naturally or you cut them off this bush produces panicles of small, bluish-lavender flowers throughout summer... Are also the favorites of woodchucks or groundhogs, so the top and your plants be!