It is common knowledge that rabbits enjoy munching on a variety of flowering plants, including daisies, rosebuds, dandelions, etc. until the flowering plant is left with only protruding stems.
The safety of you or your family is something that you want to take into consideration, so if you have flowering plants like coneflowers in your garden, you would be concerned enough to know whether rabbits eat coneflowers or not.
So let’s read on to find out more.
Do Rabbits Eat Coneflowers?
Coneflower plants work as a rabbit-repelling flowering plant because they release an aromatic odor that helps resist against rabbits.
Sometimes, though, rabbits can eat the petals of coneflowers and destroy the tender leaves.
Coneflowers can be left up year-round. The SFF article reports that, regardless of the flower color, coneflowers are perennial plants that produce a rabbit-repelling scent to keep rabbits away from flower plants.
Purple coneflowers:
Rabbits don’t like purple coneflowers, so it’s safe to say that they are also not attracted to other rabbit-repellent flowers.
On the other hand, there is another explanation as well.
Rabbits will happily eat coneflowers, including the purple coneflower, whenever they have access to them, according to researchers at North Carolina State University and the University of Nebraska Lincoln.
The many rabbits are the main reason that purple coneflowers are eaten.
The owners of purple coneflowers have also agreed to the statements made by both universities and have given evidence to show that rabbits have munched on their purple coneflower petals, leaves, stalks, and more.
Rabbits also eat and damage an entire purple coneflower bed overnight, that leaves the plants at ground level.
In conclusion, coneflowers may act like a rabbit-repellent plant but they’re also tasty to rabbits!
Are Coneflowers Rabbit Resistant?
Coneflowers are not 100% rabbit-proof, but the scent of coneflowers is enough to act as a repellent and discourage rabbits from eating and destroying them.
However, when food sources are scarce, rabbits eat any coneflower they can get close to, with their favorite being the tender leaves and stems.
Rabbits will ingest coneflower petals if they are left near the garden. Baby rabbits attack and eat conefower petals more often.
Is My Coneflower Being Eaten By Rabbits: How To Tell
If you’re not an expert and don’t know what signs to look for, then it’s difficult to know if a rabbit has eaten all your coneflowers.
The following signs rabbits leave behind after eating cone flowers have been briefly explained so that you can understand better.
Clean-Cut Damages:
Rabbits are considered eaters of plants, but because they are such neat eaters, you will only find clean cuts and damage.
On the other hand, bugs and birds that have eaten coneflower plants will leave jagged rims on the badly damaged coneflower plants.
If you notice that your coneflowers have clean-cut damage on them, then there’s a good chance that it’s from rabbits.
Ground-level Protruding Stems:
If a rabbit is on the ground, it will eat the plant from its roots up. This means that a creeper will only eat off of the outer stems and leave plants with protruding stems intact.
You’ll know the rabbits have been there when you see ground-level coneflowers sticking out of the stems.
Eats Mainly Tender Plants:
Rabbits are plant-eating animals, so if you notice that only the tender and young stems, leaves, and shoots are eaten – closer to the ground – then it means rabbits are eating them.
Damages Around The Coneflower Garden Edges:
Rabbits are timid creatures and prefer to eat your coneflowers stealthily and run away quickly if they spot any danger.
Because of this, rabbits mainly eat and damage coneflower plants around the perimeter of your yard than in the center.
In a garden where the only plants that are damaged are those that grow close to the fence, or near a gate or other opening, it is likely that rabbits have been eating them.
Small Round Droppings:
It’s obvious that rabbits are eating your coneflowers if you find small, nearly black droppings that look like peas.
How To Keep Rabbits From Eating Coneflowers?
Careful rabbits are destroying your flowers? Find out how to keep those adorable fluffy creatures away from your precious coneflowers.
Rabbit Repellents:
A rabbit repellent only provides partial protection against rabbits. But because they’re picky about their food source and repellents have a very strong odor, this is the best option.
You can use both commercial and homemade repellents to keep rabbits away. For a professional, effective option: try Liquid Fence Deer & Rabbit Repellent Concrete.
It’s an EPA-registered repellent that you spray over your garden, lawn, or any other area where you need to keep the rabbits at bay! Homemade alternatives include red pepper powder and black pepper powder.
Rabbit-Proof Fence:
A good way to prevent rabbits from munching on your coneflowers is by adding a rabbit-resistant fence around your garden.
You can install wire fencing with 1/2-inch radius holes, wire mesh chicken netting, or anything else you may have. The important part is using something that’s capable of keeping the bunnies out!
Wooden fences are an option, but if you want to protect your flowers from rabbits then you’ll need a 3-foot fence.
The boards and wires should be buried 1 foot deep in the ground when installing a wooden fence.
YARDGARD 308371B Garden Rabbit Fence 28 Inch x 50 Foot, Silver
Rabbit-Repelling Plants:
Rabbits don’t like the taste or smell of some plants, such as coneflowers. To keep rabbits away, plant these flowers around your garden or flowerbeds to create a barrier.
Try planting a few marigolds, catnip, or oregano around your coneflower garden. These plants will repel rabbits and keep them away from your flowers.
Scare Them:
To prevent rabbits from eating coneflower plants, you can scare them away by using an ultrasonic animal repellant. This emits a high-pitched noise that is sensitive to rabbits’ ears.
You can protect your coneflowers just by using a sound to scare the rabbits away. A horn will work, but if you suspect the rabbits are getting out of hand, you can train your pet dog to chase them off.
A single bark from your dog will keep rabbits from coming near your garden and harming or eating everything.
Make The Coneflowers Less Appetizing:
To keep rabbits from eating your coneflowers, try spraying them with a solution made of minced garlic or citrus juice and water. This will make the plants less flavorful to them, so they should be repelled.
One way to keep rabbits away is to spray some coneflowers with a solution of natural essential oils.
Will Coffee Grounds Keep Rabbits Away From Coneflowers:
As a rabbit deterrent, coffee grounds are unpleasant to their nose, so they work by repelling them away. This will protect coneflowers from being damaged.
Also, coffee grounds are a safe, natural way to deter rabbits from your coneflower beds. Simply sprinkle some grounds around the plants for protection.
What Is The Best Rabbit Repellent?
Rabbit repellents are a popular way to get rid of rabbits. Read on to learn about these 3 rabbit repellents.
Liquid Fence Deer. & Rabbit Repellent:
Our deer & rabbit repellent is the best on the market. Unlike other brands, our formula is already in liquid form and ready to go.
Our product is animal- and environment-friendly, so you don’t have to worry about hurting rabbits or your coneflowers.
Good Label Ultrasonic Rabbit Deterrent:
This Global Label Ultrasonic Rabbit Deterrent is perfect for use when you’re trying to create a garden that’s rid of pesky rabbits, because it produces an ultrasonic sound which they find very unpleasant.
These recordings have an effective range of 50 meters. They frighten rabbits and they don’t come back.
Plantskydd Ready-to-Use 32 Ounce Animal Repellent:
With this repellant, you can spray it directly over new coneflower and daffodil plants to keep rabbits away.
This deer repellent helps you avoid unwanted animals from annoying your garden and ruining your plants.
This liquid spray can be diluted in a gallon of water so that it can go a long way on your garden and produce the best results.
What Smells Do Bunnies Hate?
To help you be informed, here is a list of smells that bunnies can’t stand:
- Garlic
- Predator urine
- Sulfur
- Lavender
- Vinegar
- Blood meal
- Wax begonias
- Chilli powder
- Chives
- Geraniums
What Animals Eat Purple Coneflowers?
Birds, deer and mice will eat coneflowers regardless of their color. Here’s a list of animals that are likely to eat purple coneflowers: birds, deer and mice.
- Rabbits (sometimes)
- Chipmunks
- Squirrel
- Groundhogs
- Deer (sometimes)
Final Thoughts
Coneflowers are the reason you could have rabbits all around your yard, munching on petals and leaves… but it only works because they’re babies.
They’ll also eat tender stems, which is why coneflowers can’t totally stop rabbits from ransacking your garden.