“Is lantana deer resistant?” is a question people who live in areas where deer is a common animal often ask. So, will lantana stop these animals from entering your yard? This flowering plant produces a strong scent that displeases deer and keeps them away.
This is good not only for the plant but also for deer because lantana plants are highly toxic. See more about deer-resistant plants and lantanas in this concise guide.
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Is Lantana a Deer Resistant Plant Type?
💥 Yes, lantana is a deer resistant plant type. Deer are generally repelled by the smell and texture of these deer resistant plants and will not even go near them. Only in extreme cases when no other food supply is available will deers try to eat lantana plants.
– Deers Hate the Smell and Texture of Lantanas
Deers do not like the strong scent of this plant’s flowers. Even the smell of berries during spring and summer is enough to keep them away. They will not come near a house if this plant has been planted in its yard or around its periphery.
The texture of lantana leaves and flowers is also unfavorable to deer. The leaves, in particular, are very sandpaper-like in texture and not very smooth to the touch. Both the smell and the consistency in combination keep these animals away from even coming near this plant which is dangerous for them.
– Lantanas Are Toxic to Deer
All lantana plants are toxic when consumed by animals. Deers are no exception and will get poisoned after finishing any part of this plant. They might even end up dying if they drink just one percent of their body weight in lantana plants.
Leaves, stems, berries, and lantana flowers are toxic to deer and other herbivores. They contain several potent toxins like triterpene acid, lantadene-A, and lantadene-B. Even physical contact with different parts of this plant causes allergic reactions, while ingestion leads to toxicity or poisoning.
– Identifying Lantana Plants
Lantana is a vast genus of flowering plants comprising about 1500 unique species. It originally belongs to the Americas and Africa but has long since been introduced all over the Australian-Pacific region. Lantana species are perennial and produce flowers every year in the spring-summer period.
Lantanas overall have a thin and vine-like growth habit, making them perfect for hanging baskets. They produce flowers in small, rounded clusters in several different colors. These colors vary from yellow, red, and pink to blue, purple, and white.
What Happens When Deer Accidentally Eat Lantana?
When a deer accidentally eats lantana, it suffers from toxicity, the symptoms of which vary from moderate to severe. In most cases, the symptoms will only be mild because deer do not like this plant and don’t eat it often.
– Signs and Symptoms of Lantana Poisoning
As mentioned before, lantana is resistant to deer but not wholly deer-proof. When eaten by the deer by accident or in extreme hunger, it produces several tell-tale signs of toxicity that one can’t miss.
The seriousness of symptoms depends on how many plants were eaten and how much sunlight the deer were exposed to afterward. Because a deer eats lantana only in extreme hunger, there is a chance that it will not consume too much of it to die.
The affected deer develops severe photosensitivity and will try to hide from the sun. This plant, when eaten, begins to cause liver damage immediately. The affected deer will show signs of jaundice, like yellow eyes, within 24 hours. The toxins in this plant produce a severe kind of ulceration on the tongue and around the lips of the deer.
The deer also exhibits general malaise and lethargy and appears weak and sluggish. It will also urinate more frequently but otherwise be constipated.Due to frequent urination, the animal gets dehydrated pretty fast, and there are chances of kidney failure. In some cases, the ears and eyelids of deer might become swollen and red.
– Treatment for Lantana Poisoning
If deers get toxicity from lantana, there is a chance that they might die within ten days if not treated. You need to call the local vet and wildlife departments immediately when you notice a deer with signs of lantana toxicity.
The vet will place an intravenous line and provide fluids to the deer to relieve dehydration.
Skin ulcers and swellings are managed effectively using antibiotic ointments and sunscreen. The vet also applies anesthetic gels and creams on the sores to ease discomfort and pain.
Activated charcoal is a rapidly effective treatment for toxicity and poisoning. The ideal dose is to make a slurry using 2.5 grams of activated charcoal in 20 liters of electrolyte. A second dose might be needed after 24 hours if the condition of the deer does not improve.
The animal is also encouraged to eat once it starts getting better. Remember, the quicker you get it to the vet’s office, the more the chances of success.
What Other Plant Varieties Are Deer Resistant?
Other plant varieties that are also deer resistant are peony plants, butterfly bush, yarrow, and boxwood shrubs. The plants that deer do not like to eat produce strong scents and have unpleasantly textured leaves such as digitalis and purple coneflower.
– Lavender
These plants are known the world over for their scent and flowers. Deers dislike the same smell and flowers and will avoid this plant at all costs. If you are sick and tired of deer visiting your lawn at night in search of food, then plant a few of these all along its boundary.
Unless a deer is starving, it will not even come close to crossing the boundary made by this plant. Another central plus point about this purple-flowered plant is that it also repels mosquitoes and flies away from the lawn.
– Butterfly Bush
These are our top picks among all other deer-resistant shrubs and bushes. These are fast-growing shrubs that produce gorgeous clusters of deep purple flowers. These flowers are delivered in spiked trusses from summertime until frost. The shrub needs full sunlight and grows up to 18 inches tall and five feet wide.
The flowers and their scent keeps all kinds of deer away from this plant for most of the year. It stops flowering and undergoes dormancy during the frost season until the following spring. During that time, you must use a burlap sac to protect it from frost and deer attacks.
– Vervain
This plant is also known as the Simpler’s joy plant and is native to the United States. It is quite a tall plant that extends to about three to four feet. Its leaves are lobed in shape with serrated edges, and they keep deer and other similar animals away.
This is one of the most medicinal plant varieties used in the alternative medicine industry for several purposes. In spring, it produces tiny purple-blue flowers. Whether it is in bloom, this plant will keep deer away all year round.
– Boxwood
These are evergreen shrubs that, once planted in your backyard, will keep deer out of it for as long as it lives there. Unless there is no other plant to eat, this is one shrub that deer and other cattle will not eat.
These shrubs come in all shapes and sizes naturally, and you can even prune them to your desired shape. An average boxwood plant can grow as tall as 20 feet and about eight feet wide. So, it physically stops deer from entering the lawn because of its innate deer resistance.
– Rosemary
Rosemary is an evergreen shrub that is commonly known for its strong scent. It is a popular herb used widely in cooking and the healthcare industry. Naturally, deer, cattle, rabbits, and other common herbivores are repulsed by their smell and do not eat it.
Moreover, the rosemary plant produces long, needle-like leaves that irritate deer when they come near it. In summer, this plant has pink, purple, white, and blue flowers that again keep all sorts of plant-eating animals at bay.
– Lamb’s Ear
Lam’s ear is another beautiful plant resistant to deer and rabbits. We all love this plant’s thick and fuzzy leaves, but these same leaves keep the herbivores away. These animals cannot tolerate the texture of this plant’s leaves and flowers when they bloom.
Conclusion
Seeing a deer eating this plant is implausible because its smell and taste repulse them. This plant is so toxic that it can kill a deer within ten days if eaten accidentally.
- Lantana is considered to be among deer resistant perennials because they are not fond of its texture or smell.
- Lantana is a large genus of flowering plants with a vine-like growth habit and clustered flower blooms.
- Like lantana, deers avoid plants with a strong scent, like boxwood, peonies, or dianthus.
- In case of accidental lantana toxicity, your job is to call your local wildlife department as soon as possible.
We hope this article cleared all your doubts regarding lantana plants and their ability to repel deer.