Any gardener who spends a fortune on plants only to have them decimated by rabbits will understand how distressing it can be.
It is expensive to rabbit proof a garden with wire and of course, the larger the area, the greater the cost - sometimes though, it's the only way. The next best thing to fencing is to use plants that rabbits do not find palatable.
Landscape Juice Network member, Carolyn Southern has compiled a lost of plants that she has found to be rabbit resistant.
If you have any questions about any of the plants - please contact Carolyn direct.
Acanthus
Achillea
Aconitum
Aegopodium
Agapanthus
Ajuga
Alchemilla mollis
Allium
Anaphalis
Anemone
Aquilegia
Arisaema
Armeria maritima
Artemesia
Asphodeline
Asphodelus
Aster
Astilbe
Aubretia
Azalea
Bergenia
Brunnera
Buphthalmum
Camellia
Campanula lactiflora
Campanula latifolia
Cardiocrinum
Carex flagellifera
Centaurea steenbergii
Cerastium tomentosum
Chionodoxa
Choisya
Chrysanthemum maximum
Chrysanthemum parthenium
Clematis
Colchicum
Convalaria
Cortaderia
Corydalis
Cotoneaster
Crambe cordifolia
Crinum
Crocosmia
Cyclamen
Cynara
Digitalis
Doronicum
Echinops
Echium
Endymion non-scriptus
Epimedium
Erica
Eryngium
Eupatorium
Euphorbia
Festuca glauca
Fuchsia
Fritillaria
Galanthus
Gentiana aesclopedia
Gentiana sino ornata
Geraniums
Gunnera
Gypsophila
Hedera
Hedychium
Helianthus
Helleborous except niger
Helichrysum
Helenium
Hemerocallis
Hepatica
Hesperis
Heuchera
Hosta
Houttenia
Hyacinth
Hypericum
Iris
Keirengeshama
Kniphofia
Lamium
Lavander
Leucojum
Ligustrum
Liriope muscari
Lovage
Lunaria biennis
Lupinus
Luzula
Lysimachia
Malva
Meconopsis
Melissa
Mentha
Mimulus
Miscanthus
Montbretia
Muscari
Myosotis
Narcissus
Nepeta
Nicotiana
Oxalis
Omphalodes
Paeonia
Papaver
Phlox (alpine)
Phormium
Physalis
Phytolacca
Polygonatum
Polygonum
Potentilla
Primula
Pulmonaria
Ranunculus
Rhazia
Rheum
Rhododendron
Ribes
Romneya
Rosa rugosa
Rosmarinus
Ruta
Salvia (herbaceous)
Santolina
Saxifraga peltara
Saxifraga umbrosa
Scabiosa
Sedum
Sempervivum
Silene
Spiraea
Solidago
Stachys olympica
Strawberries
Symphytum
Tamarix
TAXUS - HIGHLY TOXIC - KILLS ALL ANIMALS, don’t compost, burn completely or bag up and take to the tip (?)
Tellima
Thalictrum
Thymus
Tradescantia
Tulipa
Trillium
Tritonia
Trollius
Vancouveria
Verbascum
Vinca
Yucca
Zantedeschia
Download the list of rabbit proof plants
If you have a plant that you can add to this list then please feel free to add a comment below.
That list is very useful to me as we're infested with the little critters. You can add "Oleander" and "Pittosporum". I planted some new roses recently and they nibbled the new leaflets during the first night. I protected them with netting but once they started to get established, I've had no more probs with the rabbits (only a leaf cutter bee). It's an uphill battle 'innit ?
Roger
Posted by: Roger Thory | Jun 16, 2009 at 10:12 AM
Thanks for this very useful list! I didn't imagine that there might be so many plants that the little blighters would leave alone.. although my pet rabbits and guinea pigs loved crocosmia! Also, we have heuchera which is struggling due to their attentions..but that still leaves a lot to try.
Steve.
Posted by: stephen.lovell2@ntlworld.com | Mar 31, 2010 at 09:21 PM
Nice list! I was wondering why you don't mention rabbit repellent as a method. We’ve tried a bunch and found DeFence to work the best. It’s organic and natural.
Posted by: Kelly | Apr 20, 2010 at 10:43 AM
Yes, that can be so frustrating when little animals, such as rabbits eat your plants. I wonder how a landscaping contractor could help me animal proof my flower gardens?
Posted by: Ava Green | Apr 02, 2013 at 05:53 PM
That's a huge list, thanks. Bunnies are cute but that doesn't mean they have to be free to destroy our gardens :)
Posted by: Fant | Jun 14, 2016 at 11:26 AM