Hi, I don't remember which one, but one of the major hybridizers posted this on the email Robin not long ago, and said he uses this every spring on his daylilies and bulbs. I have not tried it, but had saved this email to try, as my Mom and Dad have a woodstove, and I was planning to get some ashes from them and use it this spring. Bulb Spring Booster: 5 lbs. Bone Meal 5 lbs. fireplace wood ash 1 lb Epsom salt Bulbs need a balanced diet to perform well every year. Sprinkle mixture on top of bulbs as spring foliage appear. work carefully into surface of soil. This is a copy and paste directly what he said and his comments. Take if for what you feel it is worth, but if it is something he does every year on his lined out daylilies, I decided it was OK for me to try it. I know we used to sprinkle the ashes only around some of our plants on the farm growing up, but we didn't mix it with the bonemeal and epson salts. I had used them all separately at some point in time, just never blended as a specific fertilizer "boost". Jan G.

Paula, I don't believe that frost is necessary for the seed to mature. But I hate to let my plants go to seed until I've enjoyed as much okra as I can. In the past I used to wait too long before letting pods mature. They would get tough and even lose their color once the plants died. But the seed, though it looked good, did not keep its viability well until spring. It had not had time to store up the necessary reserves for that. So now, to make things simple, I simply plant my okra in two patches. One patch gets picked right up until frost. The other gets turned to seed production with the first cooler nights (can't remember if that's in August or September). This way the seed really matures before I harvest it. I can't be sure what was the cause of your problem. There are various possibilities. I would not rule out the possibility that the store bought seed may have been exposed to heat, which would harm it. Another problem with okra germination is cool soil. If the soil isn't warm the seed may rot before it germinates. BTW, this I've experienced this same issue with seed production of asparagus beans (yard long beans). To get good plump seed I have to stop picking while temps are still pretty high. If I wait till nights get cool, the seed does not mature properly, affecting future germination. George

Hi Pam, First, I'd just like to say that Gary is fantastic and his plants are the best. And, by the way, Bugs Bunny is one of my favorite sweet potatoes. So, even if this year you see mixed results, I strongly encourage you to plant sweet potatoes again in the future. I had to try them in several places in my highly variable garden soil before I found the area where they grew best. With mostly dense, slowly-draining clay, it was a real challenge, but in the sandier and lower fertility soil at the west end of the garden, I finally found a place where they thrived for several years. Sadly, shade from large trees outside the garden now has shaded out that area in terms of it being suitable for sweet potatoes, but I broke ground on new sandy/silty soil this past spring where I intend to plant sweet potatoes next year, and there are no trees nearby that can eventually shade out that area. There are various reasons why sweet potatoes sometimes don't produce tubers. Look first to your soil for answers. Since sweet potatoes are a root crop, the success of the crop is strongly dependent on the soil and how the crop is managed. Soil and crop management impacts the size and shape of the tubers, their overall quality and the yield from the plants. It is hard to generalize because some varieties seem more tolerant of clay soil than you'd think, but in general sweet potatoes will produce a crop in almost any soil as long as it is drains well. Sweet potatoes grown in poor sandy loam soils tend to produce low yields of smooth, high quality and sweet potatoes grown in rich, clayey, heavy soils will produce high yields of rough, often misshapen, poor quality roots. Whether the soil is rich or poor, if it is slow draining and stays too wet for too long, it will produce sweet potatoes that are rough and misshapen and often have rough, somewhat unattractive skin. So, what we glean from all of that is (a) well-drained soil is essential and (b) you'll get the best crop from well-drained soil which is sort of 'medium' in texture and fertility---not too sandy but also not too clayey or too rich. For me, it is easier to start with sandy soil and amend it with a moderate amount of organic matter to increase its fertility and to help it hold adequate moisture than to start with heavier clay that is harder to amend. In order to get good sweet potatoes from my clay soil I not only add organic matter but also sand. My clay is very dense and slow-draining to begin with though. There are many clay soils that have a good percentage of sand in them and they don't have to be amended that much for sweet potatoes. So, look at your soil and see if you think it is too sandy/low in nutrients or too rich but maybe also too dense and slow-draining. I've always felt like if I could just take a gigantic kitchen-style mixer and mix up the sandy soil from the west end of the garden with the heavy clay from the east end of the garden, I'd have perfect soil, particularly for sweet potatoes. Usually when people grow sweet potatoes and get small, stringy roots/tubers or only stringy roots and no tubers instead of larger, fleshy ones, the issue is that the soil is too fertile. Sweet potatoes are one of the few crops that do poorly on very fertile soil. You also can get a low harvest if the vines root into the soil (or mulch) as they grow, which diverts attention to growing more, more, more vines and not so many roots. I am not sure where your soil is on the pH scale, but sweet potatoes grow best in slightly acidic soils with a pH between 5.5 and 6.5. However, I grow them in soil that varies from 7.0 to 8.2 in pH, although that isn't ideal, and I'm constantly working to bring down my soil pH. You didn't mention if you used any sort of fertilizer with the plants, but most sweet potatoes will need some fertilizer although not too much, although that's more true if you have a sandy soil or sandy loam than if you have clay soil. Clay soil usually has adequate fertility because it is high in minerals. It is hard for me to define what a good harvest is because it varies wildly depending on the soil, water and even the variety. However, when you dig your sweet potatoes you should have several large sweet potatoes and also usually a handful of smaller ones underneath each plant. In a good year with adequate soil moisture, sweet potatoes in our garden make a big crop. Some varieties produce more than others. How big they get is going to vary depending on the variety, when they were planted, how hot the summer was (if it is too hot in combination with low rainfall, the crop is smaller), etc. Often in very hot and dry summers the plants produce poorly or they are slow to form tubers and you have to give them more time than usual in the fall to size up their crop. While they are very heat-tolerant, they really aren't very drought tolerant. You find yourself walking a fine line between watering them enough to get good production while simultaneously not watering so much that your yield is poor. Knowing how much moisture they need in your specific soil and weather conditions is one of those things you really only learn from growing the sweet potatoes. Does variety matter? Well, of course it does. That's why commercial growers only grow varieties that produce high yields. They have to get a certain amount of lbs. harvested per acre in order to make money. How much does variety matter? In good conditions, I don't know that it matters a lot. Several years ago I trialed a lot of sweet potato varieties from Duck Creek Farms and almost every single variety produced very well. They all were in the same area, in the same soil and received the same moisture. I didn't look at a single variety and say "that doesn't produce well, and I won't grow it again". I was pleased with all of them. For me, the place/time to make decisions about what variety to grow again comes down to which ones have the flavor and texture we like the most. I don't know that cutting back the vines would help improve the yields, but my instinctive answer is that no, it would not. Remember that plant foliage serves as the photosynthesis factory that provides the plants with the energy they need to grow and produce. Any time you cut the foliage, you're reducing the amount of foliage available to conduct photosynthesis. I don't cut the foliage back at all. I am very careful about keeping the vines from rooting into the moist ground or mulch as they grow though. I generally use a rake (never my hands because we have venomous snakes) to gently move the foliage around every few days so it doesn't sit in the same spot on the ground all the time and start rooting. In the year I grew all those Duck Creek Farms varieties, the foliage ran everywhere, including climbing the 8' tall fence and growing through the fence and into the flower beds on the other side of the fence on the west side of the plants. On the east side, the vines grew across the pathway and through the tomato beds and wanted to climb the cags, which I didn't allow them to do. They all produced great yields, so if too much foliage is a problem, then I wouldn't have gotten high yields. Centennial, by the way, was one of the best producers that year. I should qualify that statement by saying that if they are producing heavy vines on soil that is low to moderate in fertility, that seems normal. However, if they are growing excessive foliage in excessively fertile soil that is "too fertile" or had too much fertilizer added, that is a problem because they will tend to stay in a state of vegetative production and won't produce tubers as well. Once again, you have to grow sweet potatoes for a few years in order to learn what level of soil fertility produces the best yields. There is no easy answer to the question of how much fertility is too much, but you'll know it when you see it because you'll have excess vines and low yields of roots. Often, we get impatient and want our sweet potatoes to be ready to dig when we are ready to dig them. We have to be patient and dig them on their schedule, not ours. To ascertain if the plants are ready to be dug, I dig gently in the soil around the roots---I start about 8-12" away from a plant and dig with a hand trowel. I dig in closer to the plant as I look for roots. When I find them, I look at them to see if they are sized up large enough yet. If they are, I go ahead and dig. Otherwise, I replace the soil around the plant, pat it down firmly and water to settle it back down around the roots. I usually won't dig them unless there are at least a couple of very large tubers per plant. I have harvested in October some years, but in my specific growing conditions, I get the best yields if I wait until very early November and harvest a couple of weeks before the date of my average first freeze. The difference in harvest from an early October versus early November harvest is significant most years. I know this because sometimes I dig some in October and leave others of the same variety another month---as an experiment to see if it matters. One factor that might be important is the amount of heat/drought in the summer months. If rainfall was very scarce in July and August and we had excessive heat, I get lower yields so leaving them in the ground another month in autumn's cooler, milder and usually wetter weather gives them more time to produce more roots. It all hinges on the weather though, because if autumn brings very heavy rains very early in the season, I'd just as soon dig the potatoes I have because the very heavy rainfall for weeks on end can cause splitting and cracking. By the way, I do not cut the vines until the day I harvest. When I am digging down into the soil to check the status of the plants and to see if the potatoes are a nice, usable size, I just move the vines out of the way and take great care not to break them off. Once the vines are gone, if you leave the potatoes in the ground, the plants' energy is going to go into trying to grow more foliage, not more roots. Hope this helps. Dawn

What can I plant that is deer resistant? This list of deer resistant plants was compiled from Gardenweb postings and other sources. As you can see from the follow-up postings at the bottom of the list, RESISTANT is the key word. Deer can be quite the gourmets and yours may still be partial to some of the plants on this list. Deer that are hungry enough will eat everything bare from the ground up into the trees as high as they can reach. Many of the plants on this list are poisonous or medicinal. If a plant smells bad to you when you crush the leaf or stem, it probably smells just as bad to the deer. (P.S. Don't forget that rabbits, squirrels, groundhogs and other animals might be just as destructive as deer in your garden.) ANNUALS A Agastache foeniculum -- Anise Hyssop A Ageratum houstonianum -- Blue Floss Flower A Alternanthera ficoidea -- Josephs Coat A Angelonia angustifolia -- Angelonia A Antirrhinum majus -- Snapdragon A Asperula orientalis -- Annual Woodruff A Bidens ferulifolia -- Bidens A Brachycome iberidifolia -- Swan River Daisy A Calendula sp. -- Pot Marigold A Calibrachoa Hybrid -- Million Bells A Capsicum annuum -- Ornamental pepper A Catharanthus roseus -- Madagascar Vinca A Clarkia hybridus -- Four O'Clocks A Cleome hasslerana -- Spider Flower A Cleome serrulata - Bee plant A Coleus - A Coreopsis sp. -- Coreopsis A Cosmos bipinnatus -- Cosmos A Delphinium ajacis - Larkspur (annual Delphinium) A Felicia echinata -- Blue Marguerite A Gomphrena globosa -- Globe Amaranth A Gypsophila repens -- Baby's Breath A Helianthus annuus -- Common Sunflower A Helichrysum bracteatum -- Straw Flower A Hunnemania fumariifolia -- Mexican Tulip Poppy A Hypoestes phyllostachya -- Polka-Dot Plant A Impatiens balsama -- Balsam impatien A Ipomoea sp. -- Morning Glory A Lobularia maritima -- Sweet Alyssum A Matthiola incana -- Stock A Melampodium paludosum -- Butter Daisy A Nemesia strumosa -- Carnival Flower A Nicotiana alata -- Tobacco Flower A Nigella damascena -- Love-In-A-Mist A Oxypetalum caeruleum -- Southern Star A Papaver nudicaule -- Iceland Poppy A Papaver Rhoeas -- Corn Poppy A Papaver somniferum -- Opium Poppy A Phlox drummondii -- Annual Phlox A Polygonum capitatum -- Pinkhead Knotweed A Ricinus communis -- Castor Bean A Ruellia brittoniana A Ruellia nudiflora -- Wild Petunia A Senecio cineraria -- Dusty Miller A Tagetes erecta -- African Marigold A Tagetes lemmonii -- Copper Canyon Daisy A Tagetes lucida - Mexican Marigold A Tagetes patula -- French Marigold A Tagetes signata -- Signet Marigold A Tithonia diversifolia -- Mexican sunflower A Verbena bonariensis -- Verbena A Verbena rigida -- Verbena Vervain A Vinca rosea -- Madagascar periwinkle A Xeranthemum annuum -- Immortelle A Zinnia acerosa -- Native Zinnia A Zinnia angustifolia -- Star Zinnia A Zinnia grandiflora A Zinnia haageana -- Mexican Zinnia A Zinnia linearis -- Narrowleaf Zinnia BIENNIALS - may sometimes perennialize or reseed B Alcea rosea -- Hollyhock B Daucus carota - Queen Anne's Lace B Digitalis purpurea -- Foxglove B Digitalis sp. -- Perennial Foxglove B Myosotis sylvatica -- Forget-Me-Not FERNS F Adiantum pedatum -- Maiden Hair Fern F Cyrtomium falicatum -- Holly Fern F Dryopteris sp. -- Wood Fern F Matteuccia pennsylvanica -- Ostrich Fern F Woodwardia sp. -- Chain Fern GRASSES - perennial and annual G Acorus calamus -- Gardener's Grass G Andropogon gerardi -- Big Bluestem Grass G Bouteloua curtipendula -- Sideoats Grama Grass G Chasmanthium latifolium -- Inland Seaoats Grass G Festuca ovina 'glauca' -- Blue Fescue Grass G Lipidium montanum -- Western Peppergrass G Miscanthus sp. -- Ornamental Grass G Pennisetum orientale -- Fountain Grass G Pennisetum sp. -- Annual Fountain Grass G Schizachryium scoparium -- Little Bluestem Grass G Stipa tenuissima -- Feathergrass HERB - Annual HA Basil HA Borago officinalis -- Borage HA Chamomile HA Origanum spp. -- Marjoram HA Perilla frutescens -- Beefsteak Plant HERB - Perennial HP Allium schoenoprasum -- Chives HP Artemisia spp. -- Wormwood (or Sage) HP Cichorium intybus - Chicory HP Lavandula spp. -- Lavender HP Mentha spp. - Spearmints, peppermints, etc HP Nepeta spp. -- Catmint HP Rosmarinus officinalis -- Rosemary HP Santolina chamaecyparissus -- Silver Santolina HP Santolina virens -- Green Santolina HP Satureia spp. -- Savory HP Tanacetum vulgare -- Tansy HP Teucrium spp. -- Germander HP Thymus spp. -- Thyme PERENNIALS P Achillea filipendulina -- Fernleaf Yarrow P Achillea millefolium -- Common Yarrow P Aconitum sp. -- Monkshood P Ageratum sp. -- Perennial Ageraturm P Ajuga reptans -- Bugleweed P Alchemilla sp. -- Lady's Mantle P Allium sp. -- Flowering Onion P Alyssum saxatile -- Golden Alyssum P Amsonia illustris -- Showy Blue Star P Amsonia tabernaemontana -- Willow Amsonia P Anagallis monellii -- Pimpernel P Anaphalis triplinervis -- Pearly Everlasting P Anemone sp. -- Windflower P Anthemis tinctoria - Golden Marguerite P Apocynum androsaemilolium -- Dogbane P Aqueligia spp. -- Columbine P Arabis spp. -- Rock Cress P Argemone texana -- White Prickly Poppy P Arisaema spp. -- Jack-in-the-pulpit P Armeria maritima -- Sea Thrift P Artemisia ludoviciana -- White Sage P Asarum canadense -- Native ginger P Asarum europaeum -- European Wild Ginger P Aster spp. P Astilbe spp. P Aubretia sp. -- False Rockcress P Baptisia spp. -- False Indigo P Bergenia sp. -- Pigsqueak P Boltonia P Caltha palustris P Camassia spp. -- Quamash P Campanula carpatica -- Harebell P Campanula media -- Canterbury Bells P Centaurea spp. -- Knapweed P Centranthus ruber -- Jupiter's beard P Cerastium tomentosum -- Snow-In-Summer P Cheiranthus chieranthoides -- Wallflower P Chelidnium majus -- Celandine Poppy P Chelone spp. -- Turtlehead P Chrysanthemum P Chrysanthemum leucanthemum -- Ox-eye Daisy P Cimicifuga spp. -- Bugbane, Cohosh P Clematis recta -- Shrub clematis P Colchicum autumnale -- Autumn Crocus P Convallaria majus -- Lily-Of-The-Valley P Corydalis lutea -- Gold Bleeding Heart P Cynoglossum amabile -- Chinese Forget-Me-Not P Cynoglossum nervosum -- Houndstongue P Delphinium spp. -- Delphinium P Dianthus spp. -- Pinks P Dicentra spp. -- Bleeding Heart P Dictamnus albus -- White Gas Plant P Echinacea spp. - Cone Flowers P Echinops ritro -- Globe Thistle P Epimedium sp. -- Bishop's Hat P Equisetum arvense -- Horsetail P Eranthis hyemalis -- Winter Aconite P Erigeron modestus -- Plains Fleabane P Eupatorium coelestinum -- Mistflower P Eupatorium perforlifum -- Joe-Pye-Weed P Euphorbia marginata -- Snow-On-The-Mountain P Euphorbia spp. -- Spurge P Excium vulgare L. -- Viper's Bugloss P Filapendula spp. -- Meadowsweet P Fritillaria spp. -- Fritillary P Gaillardia pulchella -- Blanket Flower P Galanthus nivalis -- Common Snowdrop P Gaura lindheimeri P Geranium spp. -- Hardy Geraniums P Helenium sp. -- Helen's flower P Helianthus angustifolius -- Swamp Sunflower P Helleborus sp. -- Hellebore P Hepatica sp. -- P Heuchera sp. -- Coral Bells P Heucherella x (Heuchera x Tiarella) P Hyacinthoides sp. -- Spanish Bluebell and English Bluebell P Hyacithus orientalis -- Hyacinth P Hypericum sp. -- St. John's Wort P Inula helenium -- Elecampane P Iris sibirica,ensata -- Iris Japanese,Siberian, possibly beardeds P Lamium maculatum -- Deadnettle P Leucanthemum sp. -- Shasta daisy P Liatris sp. -- Gayfeather P Limonium latifolium -- Sea Lavender P Limonium sinuatum -- Statice P Linaria macroccana -- Toad Flax P Linum -- Flax P Linum sulcatum -- Yellow Prairie Flax P Liriope P Lobelia cardinalis - Red Cardinal Flower P Lobelia erinus -- Lobelia P Lobelia siphilitica - Blue Cardinal Flower P Lupinus sp. -- Lupine, Texas Bluebonnet P Lychnis chalcedonica -- Maltese cross P Lychnis sp. -- Rose Campion P Lycoris sp. -- Resurrection lily or Naked Lady P Macleaya cordata -- Plume Poppy P Melampodium leucanthum -- Blackfoot Daisy P Mertensia virginiana - Virginia bluebells P Mirabilis jalapa -- Four-o-clock or Marvel-of-Peru P Monarda sp. -- Bee Balm P Muscari sp. -- Grape Hyacinth P Narcissus sp. -- Narcissus & Daffodils P Oenothera sp. -- Evening Primrose P Ophiopogon japonica - Mondo Grass P Pachysandra sp. P Paeonia sp. -- Peony P Papaver orientale -- Oriental Poppy P Penstemon sp. -- Penstemon P Penstemon x gloxinoides -- Hybrid Penstemon P Perovskia atriplicifolia -- Russian Sage P Phlomis spp. P Phlox Paniculata -- Garden phlox P Physostegia virginiana -- Obedient Plant P Platycodon grandiflorus -- Balloon Flower P Polomium sp -- Jacobs Ladder P Polygonatum sp. -- Solomon's Seal P Potentilla fruticosa -- Bush Cinquefoil P Potentilla sp. P Pulmonaria sp. -- Lungwort P Pulsatilla vulgaris -- Pasque Flower P Ranunculus sp. -- Buttercups P Rudbeckia lacinata -- Goldenglow P Rudbeckia sp. -- Black-eyed Susan P Saponaria ocymoides -- Rock Soapwort P Saponaria officinalis -- Bouncing Bet P Scabiosa P Scutellaria seleniana -- Skullcap P Scutellaria suffrutescens -- Pink skullcap P Sedum kamtschaticum -- Yellow Stonecrop P Sempervivum sp. Hen and chickens (spiny varieties) P Sidalcea P Silene armeria P Solidago sp. -- Goldenrod P Stachys byzantina -- Lamb's Ear P Stachys coccinea -- Texas Betony P Symphytum spp. - Comfrey P Tiarella sp. -- P Trandescantia sp. -- P Tricyrtis sp. -- Toad Lily P Trillium sp. -- Trillium P Verbascum thapsus -- Common Mullein P Vinca minor -- Periwinkle P Viola sp -- some perennial violets, not pansies P Yucca sp. -- Yucca TENDER PERENNIALS -- act as annuals in zones 7,6,5, but can be overwintered indoors. Usually sold as annuals. TP Agapanthus spp. -- Lily of the Nile TP Agastache cana -- Perennial Agastache TP Agave leuchugilla -- Agave TP Agave scabra -- Century Plant TP Asparagus springerii -- Asparagus fern TP Begonia x semperflorens -- Wax Begonia TP Begonia x tuberhybrida -- Tuber Begonia TP Brugmansia spp. TP Brugmansia versicolor -- Angels Trumpet TP Caesalpinia gilliesii -- Bird of Paradise TP Dahlia sp. -- Dahlia TP Datura innoxia TP Datura meteloides -- Downy Thorn Apple TP Datura metheioldes TP Datura quercifolia TP Datura wrightii TP Hesperaloe paviflora -- Red Yucca TP Lantana camara -- Lantana TP Lantana montevidensis -- Weeping Lantana TP Osteospermum sp. -- African daisy TP Pelargonium sp. -- Geranium TP Pentas lanceolata -- Egyptian Star Cluster TP Plumbago auriculata -- Cape Plumbago TP Salvia azurea v.pitcheriii -- Pitcher Sage TP Salvia ballotaeflora -- Blue Shrub Sage TP Salvia chamaedryoides -- Gray Shrub Sage TP Salvia coccinea -- Flowering Sage TP Salvia discolor -- Silver Peruvian Sage TP Salvia farinacea -- Mealycup Sage TP Salvia greggii -- Autumn Sage TP Salvia guaranitica -- Bog Sage TP Salvia leucanthia -- Mexican Bush Sage TP Salvia lycioides -- Canyon Sage TP Salvia lyrata -- Lyre-leaf Sage TP Salvia patens -- Gentian Sage TP Salvia regla -- Mountain Sage TP Salvia roemeriana -- Cedar Sage TP Salvia sp. -- Perennial Salvia and Sages TP Salvia splendens -- Scarlet Sage TP Salvia uliginosa -- Bog Sage TP Salvia viridis -- Joseph Sage TP Zantedeschia aethiopica -- Calla Lily SHRUBS S Abelia x grandiflora -- Glossy Abelia S Amelanchier sp. -- Serviceberry S Amorpha fruticosa -- Indigobush S Arctostaphylos uva-ursi -- Bearberry S Berberis vulgaris -- Common Barberry (Caution: Invasive.) S Buddleia sp. -- Butterfly-Bush S Buxus sempervirens -- Common Boxwood S Callicarpa americana -- American Beautybush S Callicarpa japonica -- Japanese Beautyberry S Calluna sp. -- Heather S Calluna vulgaris -- Scotch Heather S Caryopteris sp. -- Blue Mist Caryopteris S Cephalanthus occidentalis -- Buttonbush S Chaenomeles sp. -- Flowering Quince S Clethra sp. -- Sweet Pepperbush S Cotoneaster apiculatus -- Cranberry Cotoneaster S Cotoneaster glaucophyllus S Cotoneaster horizontalis -- Rockspray Cotoneaster S Cotoneaster sp. -- Cotoneaster S Crataegus laevigata -- English Hawthorn S Crataegus sp. -- Hawthorn S Cytisus scoparius - Broom S Daphne x burkwoodi -- Daphne S Deutzia gracilis -- Slender Deutzia S Deutzia scabra -- Fuzzy Deutzia S Enkianthus campanulatus -- Redvein Enkianthus S Erica sp. -- Heather S Euonymus alatus -- Burning Bush S Ficus caria -- Common Fig S Forsythia sp. -- Forsythia S Hibiscus syriacus -- Rose of Sharon S Itea virginica -- Virginia Sweetspire S Kalmia latifolia -- Mountain Laurel S Kerria japonica -- Japanese Kerria S Kochia scoparia -- Burning Bush S Kolkwitzia amabilis -- Beautybush S Larrea tridentata -- Creosote Bush S Leucothoe fontanesiana -- Drooping Leucothoe S Ligustrum amurense -- Amur Privet S Ligustrum vulgare -- Privet S Lindera benzoin -- Spicebush S Mahonia aquifolium -- Oregon Grapeholly S Mahonia sp. -- Mahonia S Myrica sp. -- Bayberry S Nandina sp. S Pieris japonica -- Japanese Andromeda S Prunus caroliniana -- American Cherry Laurel S Pyracantha coccinea -- Scarlet Firethorn S Rhus aromatica -- Aromatic Sumac S Rhus virens -- Evergreen Sumac S Rosa spinosissima -- Scotch Rose S Sambacus canadensis -- Elderberry S Spiraea prunifolia -- Bridalwreath Spirea S Spiraea sp. -- Spirea S Spiraea x bumalda -- Bumald Spirea S Syringa sp. -- Lilac S Viburnum sp. TREES T Abies procera -- Noble Fir T Acer saccharinum -- Silver Maple T Aesculus arguta -- White Buckeye T Aesculus hippocastanum -- Horsechestnut T Aesculus pavia -- Red Buckeye T Asimina triloba -- Pawpaw T Betula lenta -- Sweet Birch T Betula papyrifera -- Paperbark Birch T Betula pendula -- European White Birch T Cercis canadensis -- Eastern Redbud T Chamaecyparis sp. -- False Cypress T Cornus kousa -- Kousa Dogwood T Cornus sericea -- Red-twig Dogwood T Cotinus coggygria -- Smoke Tree T Cotinus obovatus -- Smoke Tree T Cryptomeria japonica -- Japanese Cedar T Fagus sylvatica asplenifolia -- European Cutleaf Beech T Fagus sylvatica atropunicea -- European Copper Beech T Fagus sylvatica pendula -- European Weeping Beech T Fraxinus pennsylvanica -- Green Ash T Ginkgo biloba -- Maidenhair Tree T Ilex decidua -- Possum Haw T Ilex sp. -- Holly T Ilex vomitoria -- Yaupon Holly T Juniperus spp. T Juniperus virginiana -- Eastern Red Cedar T Koelreuteria paniculata -- Panicled Goldenraintree T Lagerstroemia sp. -- Crape Myrtle T Liquidambar styraciflua -- Sweetgum T Magnolia grandiflora T Malus spp. T Melia azedarach -- Chinaberry Tree T Metasequoia glyptostroboides -- Dawn Redwood T Picea abies -- Norway Spruce T Picea abies nidiformis -- Birds Nest Spruce T Picea glauca -- White Spruce T Picea pungens glauca -- Colorado Blue Spruce T Pinus elderica -- Afghan pine T Pinus nigra -- Austrian Pine T Pinus resinosa -- Red Pine T Pinus rigida -- Pitch Pine T Pinus strobus -- Eastern White Pine T Pinus sylvestris -- Scots Pine T Pistacia texenanus -- Texas Pistachio T Prunus persica -- Peach T Prunus spp. T Pyrus calleryana bradfordii -- Bradford Pear T Pyrus communis -- Common Pear T Quercus prinus -- Chestnut Oak T Quercus rubra -- Red Oak T Robinia hispida -- Rose acacia T Sassafras albidum -- Common Sassafras T Sciadopitys verticillata -- Umbrella Pine T Tamarix ramosissima -- Tamarisk T Taxodium distichum -- Bald Cypress T Tilia cordata -- Littleleaf Linden T Truja spp. -- Cedar T Vitex negundo -- Chastetree T Zelkova serrata -- Japanese Zelkova VINES V Bignonia capreolata -- Cross vine V Campsis radicans -- Trumpet Creeper V Clematis sp. V Ficus pumila -- Fig vine V Gelsemimum sempervirens -- Carolina Jasmine V Hydrangea anomala petiolaris -- Climbing Hydrangea V Lonicera semipervirens -- Trumpet Honeysuckle V Parthenocissus quinquefolia -- Virginia Creeper V Parthenocissus tricuspidata -- Boston Ivy V Wisteria floribunda -- Japanese Wisteria V Wisteria macrostachya UNKNOWNS These are plants from a list that was compiled for Texas. Many of these plants are unfamiliar to the Author -- any information about them appreciated. ? Actae pachpoda spp -- Baneberry ? Adonis annua -- Pheasant's Eye ? Allamanda cathartica ? Anisacanthus wrightii ? Anisodontea ? Antigonon leptopus ? Argemone mexicana -- Yellow Prickly Poppy ? Argemone sanguinea -- Rose Prickly Poppy ? Argyranthemum frutescens -- Butterfly daisy ? Aristida purpurea ? Asclepias asperula ? Asclepias linaria -- Pineleaf Milkweed ? Asclepias sublata ? Asclepias tuberosa -- Butterfly Weed ? Asclepias virdii -- Green Milkweed ? Baccharis halimifilia ? Baileya multiradiata -- Desert Marigold ? Berberis swaseyi -- Texas Barberry ? Bervberus trifoliolata ? Bucharest sarothroides ? Buchloe dactyliodes -- Buffalo Grass ? Calamagrostis x acutiflora -- Reed Grass ? Carduus nutans -- Nodding Thistle ? Carduus texanum -- Texas Thistle ? Cassia corymbosa - Common Tree Senna ? Cassia lindheimeriana -- Lindheimer Senna ? Cassia roemeriana - Two Leaved Senna ? Centaurea melitensis - Tocalote Thistle ? Centaurea texanum - Texas Thistle ? Centaurium beyrichii - Mountain Pink ? Cestrum nocturnum -- Night Blooming Jasmine ? Chrysanthemum mexicana ? Cirsium japonicum -- Sea Thistle ? Cladrastis kentukea -- Yellowwood ? Comptonia peregrina -- Sweet Fern ? Cooperia drummondii -- Rain Lily ? Cooperia pedunculata - Rain Lily ? Corydalis sempervirens ? Dalea frutescens -- Black Dalea ? Dalea greggii -- Gregg Dalea ? Dasylirion texanum ? Descuraninia pinnata ? Dyschoriste linearis ? Dyssodia pentachaeta ? Dyssodia setifolia v radiata ? Emilia javanica -- Tassel Flower ? Ericameria laricifolia ? Erthrina herbacea ? Erygium heterophyllum - Mexican Thistle ? Eryngium leavenworthii -- Eryngo ? Escholzia californica -- California poppy ? Eupatorium rugosum -- White Snakeroot ? Eupatorium wrightii -- White Mistflower ? Euphorbia antisyphilitica ? Euphorbia bicolor -- Snow-on-the-Prairie ? Europs spp. ? Eustoma grandiflora -- Lisianthius ? Evolvulus glomeratus -- Evolvulus ? Eysenhardtia texana -- Texas Kidneywood ? Flourensia cernua -- Tarbush ? Gloriosa supurba L. -- Gloriosa Lily ? Grindelia lanceolata ? Gutierezia sarothrea ? Habranthus texanus -- Copper Rain Lily ? Helenium amarum -- Bitterweed ? Helianthus maximilliani -- Maximilian's Sunflower ? Heterotheca latifolia -- Golden Aster ? Hymenoxys scaposa ? Iscoma wrightii ? Jasminum mesyni ? Jatropha cardiophylla ? Jatropha cuneata ? Jatropha dioica ? Lavatera trimestris -- Tree Mallow ? Leucophyllum frutescens ? Lithospermum incisum -- Fringed Puccoon ? Lycium andersonii ? Lycium berlandieri ? Lycium fremontii ? Lycium halimfolium ? Machaeranthera phyllocephala -- Camphor Daisy ? Machaeranthera tanaceifolia -- Tahoka Daisy ? Malvaviscus drummondii ? Merremia aurea -- Yellow Morning Glory ? Moluccella laevia -- Bells of Ireland ? Muhlenbergia capillaris ? Muhlenbergia dubia ? Muhlenbergia dubiodes ? Muhlenbergia lindheimeri ? Muhlenbergia rigens ? Nephrolepis -- Sword fern ? Nierembergia hippomanica -- Cup Flower ? Nyctagina capitata ? Oxytropis lambertii ? Palafoxia hookeriana ? Parkinsonia aculeata ? Parrotia persica -- Persian Parrotia ? Pectis angustifolia ? Perezia runcinata ? Perezia wrightii ? Phyla nodiflora v. incisa ? Physalis spp. -- Ground Cherry ? Physostegia intermedia ? Picradeniopsis spp. ? Pluchea camphorata -- Camphor Weed ? Pluchea purpurascens -- Marsh Fleabane ? Polaniaia uniglandulosa ? Poliomintha longifolia -- Mexican Oregano ? Polytaenia nuttallii ? Prionopsis ciliata ? Prospis glandulosa ? Psilostrophe tagetina ? Psoralea tenuiflora ? Pteridium auilinum ? Pteridium sp. -- Bracken ? Quincula lobata ? Sanvitalia procumbens -- Creeping Zinnia ? Sapindus drummondii -- Soapberry ? Senecio ampullaaceus -- Texas Squaw Weed ? Senecio jacobea -- Tansy Ragwort ? Senecio leucostachys -- Dusty Miller ? Silphium albifloum -- Rosin Weed ? Silphium simpsonii v.wrightii ? Solandra guttata ? Solandra spp. ? Solanum elaeanifolium -- Silver-leaved Nightshade ? Solanum jasminoides -- Potato Vine ? Solanum speudocapsicum -- Jerusalem Cherry ? Sophora secundiflora -- Texas Mountain Laurel ? Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) ? Stephanandra incisa -- Cutleaf Stephanandra ? Stewartia pseudocamellia -- Japanese Stewartia ? Symphoricarpos albus ? Symphoricarpos albus -- Common Snowberry ? Tecoma stans ? Tephorosia lindheimerie ? Thalictrum dasycarpum ? Thelesperma filifolium ? Thymophylla tenuiloba -- Dahlberg Daisy ? Ungnadia speciosa -- Mexican Buckeye ? Veratrum viride ? Verbena bipinnatifida -- Prairie Verbena ? Verbena peruviana -- Peruvian verbena ? Verbena sp, -- Verbena ? Verbena tenuisecta -- Moss verbena ? Verbesina enceliodies ? Verbesina virginia ? Vernonia baldwinii -- Western Ironweed ? Vernonia lindheimeri -- Woolly Ironweed ? Veronica incana -- Woody Veronica ? Viburnum rufidulum -- Rusty Blackhaw ? Viguiera denata ? Wedelia texana ? Xanthocephalum dracunculiodes ? Zexmania hispida Follow-Up Postings: *Posted by: LynnT Z6A MD (My Page) on Mon, May 13, 02 at 8:59 Great list! I was all ready to quibble and say that I thought Four-O'clocks were Mirabilis, not Clarkia, when I saw you'd got Mirabilis listed as Four-oclocks under annuals. The joy of common names! Have you ever grown clarkia? I understand they do OK here and are really attractive in part-shade. I can tell you from personal experience that deer do eat chelone when the hosta are all gone/protected. *Posted by: Periwinkles z6MD (My Page) on Fri, May 24, 02 at 11:25 The deer here love my Burning Bushes - Euonymous Alatus and also my Oakleaf Hydrangeas. They also eat the white pines, hostas, and even a Yew I thought was deer-proof! * Posted by: mtngirl z6VA (My Page) on Fri, May 24, 02 at 20:30 The deer eat our burning bushes, too. They also devoured a barberry, and hostas are out of the question. One day last winter we looked out our window and saw a doe eating birdseed out of one of our bird feeders! I think if they get hungry enough they will eat just about anything. * Posted by: Madgardenr z7WDC (My Page) on Fri, May 24, 02 at 21:56 I think it's right that if deer are hungry enough, they will eat anything. What's tasty is apparently a regional issue, also, so you might try checking your local (in my case, Maryland Cooperative Extension's Web site) extension service for a list of plants that are "deer candy" or avoided by deer in your area. I've had them nibble on Japanese white spiraea (Spiraea albiflora) and the usual tulip and hosta foliage. But recently I've had good experience with treating susceptible plants with Repellex (not ground-toxic, just tastes and smells repulsive) tablets and spray. * Posted by: dadahlia 5 PA (My Page) on Sun, May 26, 02 at 4:46 They have never touched my canna. * Posted by: hannah Z6 PA (My Page) on Sun, May 26, 02 at 11:16 Thanks for the list but, I beg to differ with Siberian & Japanese Iris being deer resistant...the little buggers walk right up to my front beds and systematically chomp off each bloom...nubs is what i'm left with...have to leave front flood lights on and that makes for a rough night's sleep, considering i don't like curtains. ..LOL * Posted by: dadahlia 5 PA (My Page) on Mon, May 27, 02 at 1:51 I have counted as many as twenty deer out there and they have never touched any of the iris or lilies. They prefer my neighbors grass. She has it professionally taken care of every week. I wish she would stop. Our yards are attached and they wander up this way frequently. Never touched my TB, siberian or lilies. * Posted by: Elaine8 PNW-Zone 8-Wa (My Page) on Mon, May 27, 02 at 5:59 In Washington State, the Deer love Heuchera (Any kind). Wouldn't it be the same in other areas? * Posted by: razmataz z7 VA (My Page) on Sun, Aug 11, 02 at 22:12 What a find! Thank you so much. Moved from California to Virginia last year, so much to learn! Deer are different in different areas. For example mule deer in CA usually won't touch impatiens, but white tail in VA LOVE it. All of them will resort to anything in a drought years. * Posted by: whinny z7 NJ (My Page) on Tue, Aug 13, 02 at 19:40 I noticed that the young deer will try just about anything, so while they may not like it, they may destroy a valued plant while sampling it. I spent a lot of money to fence in my back yard. The only sure way. (I hope) Also, they won't eat my iris, but they eat certain daylilies, but not others.