These Rabbit Resistant Perennials are your best bet if you want the plants in your garden to stay safe from these furry animals!
Tired of rabbits munching on your favorite plants? Don’t worry! We’ve compiled a list of perennial flowers that rabbits don’t bother!
Rabbit Resistant Perennials
1. Lavender
Botanical Name: Lavandula spp.
Lavender’s aromatic scent acts as a natural rabbit deterrent. Plant it as a border plant to make a barrier and enjoy its purple blooms throughout the summer.
2. Russian Sage
Botanical Name: Perovskia atriplicifolia
This drought-tolerant perennial thrives in hot, dry conditions and is adored by pollinators while being ignored by rabbits. They don’t like the taste of its leaves and flowers.
3. Yarrow
Botanical Name: Achillea spp.
Yarrow’s feathery foliage and flower clusters make it an excellent addition to cottage gardens and meadow landscapes. Rabbits typically avoid this hardy perennial.
4. Sedum
Botanical Name: Sedum spp.
With its succulent leaves and tolerance for poor soil, sedum is a low-maintenance plant that rabbits tend to bypass. Its late-season blooms provide valuable nectar for pollinators.
5. Catmint
Botanical Name: Nepeta spp.
Cats absolutely love to nibble on this plant but rabbits hate it to the core! These are also a great source of attracting pollinators to your garden. To make a protective barrier, you can grow as a fence plant.
6. Lamb’s Ear
Botanical Name: Stachys byzantina
Lamb’s ear is a drought-tolerant perennial that is not only rabbit-resistant, but is also looks smashing in borders and rock gardens with its silver foliage and flowers.
7. Bee Balm
Botanical Name: Monarda spp.
Favorite of bees and hummingbirds, this easy-growing plant produces pink, red, violet, or white flowers which rabbits do not like to nibble on.
8. Foxglove
Botanical Name: Digitalis purpurea
Toxic to humans and animals, foxglove is disliked by rabbits also. They are best for landscaping wooden gardens and shady borders.
9. Peony
Botanical Name: Paeonia spp.
One of the stunning pink flowers that’s great choice for keeping rabbits away. Known for their huge blooms, you can grow them successfully in sunny spots with well-draining soil.
10. Coneflower
Botanical Name: Echinacea spp.
Coneflowers are not only drought-tolerant and easy to grow but also resistant to rabbit damage. Their beautiful daisy-like flowers attract bees and butterflies.
11. Coreopsis
Botanical Name: Coreopsis spp.
Also known as tickseed, coreopsis fills the garden with its yellow daisy-like blooms. This rabbit-resistant plant tolerates drought conditions well, and grows best in sunny spots.
12. Bleeding Heart
Botanical Name: Dicentra spp.
Popular for its heart-like flowers, bleeding heart is toxic and is avoided by rabbits as well. Consider growing it a places that are away from the pets’ and children’s’ reach.
13. Japanese Anemone
Botanical Name: Anemone hupehensis
This late blooming perennial is another plant on the list of rabbits that they are not fond of. Japanese Anemones also have a great resistance to most insects and diseases, too.
14. Bergenia
Botanical Name: Bergenia spp.
This low-maintenance perennial is both deer and rabbit-resistant and is used as a ground cover or as edged planting. This can be a great addition to create a barrier to any open space in the garden.
15. Balloon Flower
Botanical Name: Platycodon grandiflorus
A fantastic start-like bloom that will stand out in your garden with its royal blue-purple hue is the balloon flower. Don’t worry! Rabbits hate it!
16. Hellebore
Botanical Name: Helleborus spp.
Hellebores are early-blooming perennials that rabbits tend to avoid. Their evergreen foliage provides year-round interest, making them a valuable addition to shade gardens.
17. Coral Bells
Botanical Name: Heuchera spp.
Loved for their colorful foliage and delicate flowers, coral bells are generally left alone by rabbits. Plant them in partial shade for best growth.
18. Black-Eyed Susan
Botanical Name: Rudbeckia spp.
Known for providing long-lasting color from summer to fall, this perennial is also avoided by rabbits to nibble on. For best blooms, make sure it gets plenty of sunlight.
19. Beech Fern
Botanical Name: Phegopteris spp.
With its delicate fronds and tolerance for dry shade, beech fern is a great choice for rabbit-prone areas. Plant it under trees or in shaded borders for a splash of greenery.
20. Bugleweed
Botanical Name: Ajuga reptans
This dense spreading ground-covering is another best option as a rabbit deterrent. Plant it in partial shade for best results and enjoy its low-maintenance beauty year after year.
21. Ornamental Onion
Botanical Name: Allium
Ornamental Onions are magnets to pollinators but they deter rabbits like pros. The reason being, the pungent taste of its leaves and flowers, which these animals hate.
22. Red Hot Poker
Botanical Name: Kniphofia
These come in a variety of warm shades like reds, oranges, and yellows. Rabbits generally steer clear of Kniphofia, making it a great choice for your rabbit-resistant garden.
23. Monkshood
Botanical Name: Aconitum
You might wonder why this plant is resistant to rabbits? The answer is simple—it is poisonous, and that is why rabbits avoid it. Monkshood makes for a great show stopper!
24. Spurge
Botanical Name: Euphorbia
When you cut this plant, you will often see white sap, the reason why rabbits don’t go close to it. Spurge is considered a weed that does best in full sun.
25. Barrenwort
Botanical Name: Epimedium
Rabbits are not fond of its taste, which repels them, making it a worthy mention in the list. Its flowers contrast beautifully with the foliage, making it a must-have in any garden.
26. Larkspur
Botanical Name: Delphinium
Larkspurs are perennials that grow upto 1 to 3 feet tall, and bloom in early summer in blue, purple, white, and pink colors. Rabbits are not fond of these beauties.
27. Lady’s Mantle
Botanical Name: Alchemilla mollis
Commonly known as lady’s mantle, it is a clumping perennial that forms a basal foliage mound of long-stalked, circular leaves. This grows well in full sun and partial shade.
28. Mugwort
Botanical Name: Artemisia
Both Deer and rabbits avoid silver-leaved fuzzy plants, and that is what makes this one’s foliage repel rabbits. Mugwort does well in partial to full sun.
29. Lenten Rose
Botanical Name: Helleborus
These flowers are known to be toxic to humans if ingested in large quantities and this is the same reason why rabbits also keep away from these.
30. False Goat’s beard
Botanical Name: Astilbe
These are small flowering plants with feathery plumes in pink or white atop fern-like foliage. Rabbits don’t like the taste of Astilbe leaves, keeping them away from it.
