Do Deer Eat Hedge Rose?

It may be idyllic seeing deer pass by your garden early in the morning, but deer will sample or eat any fresh, green growth in their paths, including your hedge roses. If the deer like what you're serving them for breakfast, they'll come back for lunch and dinner. If you live in deer country, your hedge rose won't deter the creatures, but other roses are less palatable to deer and therefore less susceptible to severe grazing.

Tender, new foliage and flower buds are rich in nitrogen, and deer need a regular supply because their bodies don't store the nutrient. The young growth is also rich in salts, minerals and protein deer need to survive. Plants are also the animals' primary source of hydration. One deer can eat from 5 to 15 pounds of plant material per day. If they like the taste of the roses in your hedge, they will remove all the precious new buds and leaves, seriously crippling your shrubs, as well as spoiling your seasonal display.

Your choice of rose is important. Consider native roses such as the pasture rose (Rosa carolina) which will grow in U. S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 11, and the Virginia rose (Rosa virginiana), hardy in USDA zones 3 through 11. Deer and native species plants evolved together, and as a result, the deer aren't surprised by the taste of the native rose. They know what to expect, and native roses are seldom on a deer's menu. Nor do deer like overly thorny or aromatic roses, such as Rugosa roses (Rosa rugosa spp.), hardy in USDA zones 3 through 10 Their canes are well-guarded with sharp thorns, and while their scent is pleasing to humans, it is not very pleasing to deer.

Deer turn their noses up at plants with pungent scents, and there are several strongly aromatic perennial herbs that will help keep them from nibbling your hedge roses. Under-plant your row of roses with aromatic herbs from the mint (Mentha spp.) family. These herbs are all hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 9 with some variation depending on cultivars. The mint family includes common culinary sage (Salvia officinalis), thyme (Thymus spp.), lavender (Lavendula spp.) and oregano (Origanum vulgare spp.), all of which will help deter deer. Create a dense, deep planting bed of one aromatic herb planted en masse under your roses or a combination of aromatic herbs as a fail-safe.

Since deer are reluctant to go near plants with strong aromas, deter them by adding those strong aromas. Egg-based repellents are known to be at least 85 percent effective on ornamental shrubs. Repellents made with hot sauce are generally sprayed on the new growth that deer enjoy. Deer are creatures of habit, returning to the same food source or grazing ground again and again, so if their favorite rose hedge consistently has a nasty odor, they will learn to stay clear.