Deer Again

As I get to know our new space, I am using this winter to think about how I want to deal with deer this time. As I wrote earlier, getting to know your new place before jumping into changes is a good idea, and planning for deer will hopefully save me from sacrificing new plant decisions to their salad bowl.

I have written about dealing with deer before; my most recent post was in 2023 and it gives some plant suggestions. It also links back to an earlier post in 2011. I will certainly apply all that I’ve learned into my choices.

Those of us who live with deer get understandably frustrated, and some people wonder how native plants should be part of our landscaping decisions when deer are present. Since deer evolved here with native plants, are they more prone to eat them? Would exotic plants be more resistant to their browsing? It helps to realize that ornamental landscapes – the plants that we scatter around our homes – are artificial constructs compared to the natural world.

If we were to walk in this area even just 300 years ago, we’d see plants growing in colonies, or mixing with others, with some populations growing in vast abundance; some areas might be dense like a thicket. I imagine that nibbling would not have been as noticeable and plants would likely be able sustain such damage. In addition, predators would likely have pruned the deer population in turn or driven them to new areas. 

Nowhere was there a small woman wringing her hands over the damage to that one shrub next to her front door. We’re always going to notice damage to our carefully constructed landscapes.

In my original post in 2011, I talked about learning what they like and don’t like, considering placement of plants, and using fences and deterrents to protect plants. We do know that they will browse on both native and non-native plants (know anyone with hostas or blue hydrangeas – both non-native and quite popular with deer), so don’t bother using exotics in the hope that the deer will ignore them.

The solution for me will be a combination of smart plant choices and some deterrence (there will always be things that I want – like native azaleas and oakleaf hydrangea – that need protection). At my old house we had a fence around some of the backyard (because we had a pool), so I am considering some partial fencing around the house, leaving the rest open to nature (and smart plant choices).

Deer rub – destructive autumn behavior by male deer – is another hazard that affects any kind of sapling. Young trees and large shrubs can suffer serious damage; I've had some snapped in half while others were only scraped and able to recover. To protect saplings, install cages around the trunk.

Wish me luck and I'll report back in a year or so.

November 2025 Moment in Nature

Plants can have beauty in all seasons and the formation of seeds in the fall is one of my favorite phases. After a cold night earlier this week, several plants got the hint that the growing season is done. 

This cluster of seedheads belongs to Brickellia cordifolia, a late summer perennial. I love the colors and the structure of the seedheads and the scattered collection of fallen tree leaves below provides a nice echo of the colors.

As winter approaches, keep a look out for special moments of the season: changing colors, interesting seeds, frost-encrusted plant parts, and other aspects (like bark) that we may not notice in the fullness of the growing seasons. Find your #momentinnature and savor the ever-changing landscape before you.

What Have We Got Here?

Exploring a new space is exciting. I wrote earlier about tackling our new space in Jackson County and I detailed some of the invasive plants that I'll be dealing with. Since it is fall, my inventory of native plants has focused on the trees and shrubs, and I've found a good mix of good Piedmont species.

The photo above is a collage of some of the interesting bark on our plants. Top row, left to right: Hophornbeam (Ostraya virginiana); Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana); Hickory (Carya tomentosa); American beech (Fagus grandifolia). Bottom row, left to right: Black cherry (Prunus serotina); Musclewood (Carpinus caroliniana); Red oak (Quercus rubra); Rusty black-haw (Viburnum rufidulum).

The property sits below the street and resides on a long, gentle slope towards a creek that feeds into Mulberry River. On our side of the creek is a wide floodplain which certainly influences the plant species that call this area home. Here is what I've found so far:

Vines: Bignonia capreolata (Crossvine), Hydrangea barbara (Climbing hydrangea), Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia Creeper), Vitis rotundifolia (Muscadine), Matelea (Milkvine), Toxicodendron radicans (Poison ivy), Nephroia carolina (Carolina snailseed).

Trees: We have a variety of oaks based on sight and acorns/leaves on ground (Quercus alba, Quercus nigra, Quercus rubra, Quercus falcata, Quercus velutina). One of the most abundant trees is Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) and that is true for the wider area; I see these everywhere while driving around. Also present are American beech (Fagus grandifolia), Red maple (Acer rubrum), Black cherry (Prunus serotina), Musclewood (Carpinus caroliniana), Silverbell (Halesia), Redbud (Cercis canadensis), Flowering dogwood (Benthamidia florida), Mockernut hickory (Carya tomentosa, perhaps other species), Black walnut (Juglans nigra), Southern hackberry (Celtis laevigata), Boxelder (Acer negundo), Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), and American holly (Ilex opaca). And of course,  Tulip-tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) and Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda). And one Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), obviously planted and not native. :)

Shrubs: Buckeye (likely Aesculus sylvatica), Dwarf pawpaw (Asimina parviflora), Rusty black-haw (Viburnum rufidulum), American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana), and Hearts a bustin’ (Euonymus americanus).

Perennials: Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides), Ebony spleenwort (Asplenium platyneuron), Wild comfrey (Andersonglossum virginianum), Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens), various sedges (Carex), Obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana) – this was likely planted by the owner/neighbors, Yellow crownbeard (Verbesina occidentalis) – I mentioned this one in an earlier post, Woodoats (Chasmanthium sessiliflorum), Heartleaf ginger (Hexastylis arifolia), Rivercane (Arundinaria), and in the lawn we have Carolina ponyfoot (Dichondra carolinensis) and something called perennial greenhead sedge (Cyperus brevifolius).

Fruits of Rusty black-haw viburnum

There is deer pressure here - it is evident in the nipped foliage, the piles of scat, and frankly in the paucity of plants at ground level (the heartleaf ginger only sports one leaf when I find it). Luckily I am familiar with deer and will be applying what I know to what I do here.