Rabbits might seem harmless, but they can turn your garden into a disaster zone, nibbling away at your prized plants and leaving destruction in their wake.
The frustration of finding chewed stems and missing blooms is all too common for many gardeners.
Thankfully, you can plant perennials that rabbits dislike. These hardy plants beautify your garden while naturally keeping rabbits at bay.
#1. Foxglove
Foxgloves are not only beautiful but also effective at deterring rabbits, thanks to their toxicity.
These tall, pink-spired perennials are loved by pollinators but avoided by rabbits and pets.
Thriving in full sun and well-drained soils, foxgloves are hardy in USDA zones 5 to 10 and short-lived but self-seed freely.
#2. Euphorbia
Have you noticed the thick white sap oozing from a broken poinsettia branch?
This sticky sap is typical of Euphorbias making them perfect for containers with their summer-long white blooms.
Plus, this sap acts as a natural deterrent, keeping rabbits and deer at bay.
#3. Coreopsis
Coreopsis is incredibly easy to grow, thriving in full sun and well-drained soil. You just deadhead spent flowers for more blooms.
Its strong scent and slightly bitter taste make it unappealing to rabbits, so they tend to avoid it.
#4. Russian Sage
Russian sage is not only stunning with its silvery foliage and lavender-blue flowers, but it also repels pesky rabbits with its strong, pleasant scent.
This low-maintenance plant thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, and once established, it’s drought-tolerant.
#5. Lavender
Lavender is not only known for mauve blooms and silvery-green leaves, but its divine scent also acts as a powerful rabbit repellent.
The high concentration of linalool in lavender’s natural oil overwhelms rabbits’ sensitive noses, keeping them at bay.
Depending on your USDA Zone, choose French lavender for warmer climates or English varieties for colder areas, as they can handle temperatures down to -12°F.
#6. Peonies
Peonies, with their lush blooms and intoxicating fragrance, are garden showstoppers that rabbits generally avoid.
They are best planted in spring or fall and easy to care for. You just use metal hoops or decorative baskets to support the flowers.
For the best blooms next year, remember to cut them back at the right time.
#7. Catmint
Catmint, with its square stems, is more than just attractive – it’s a rabbit deterrent. Rabbits dislike its scent, making it a gardener’s ally.
This versatile plant thrives in full sun to part shade and isn’t fussy about soil.
Plus, its summer blooms of white flowers with purple dots add beauty to your garden while keeping pests away.
#8. Bee Balm
Bee balm is a gardener’s favorite for its vibrant blooms and ability to attract pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
This plant thrives in full sun and well-drained soil and beautifies your garden.
Thanks to its strong, minty aroma, rabbits avoid it.
#9. Yarrow
Bee balm is beloved by gardeners for its vibrant blooms and ability to attract pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Thankfully, its refreshing scent may be pleasant to us, but it’s unappealing to those pesky rabbits.
#10. Salvia
With its strong, aromatic scent and slightly bitter taste, rabbits find salvia unappealing.
Beyond its rabbit-deterrent qualities, salvia offers vibrant spikes of colorful flowers that attract pollinators like bees and butterflies.
This plant is also drought-tolerant and easy to care for, making it a perfect addition to any garden.
