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Rabbits and bearded iris

Beaus MumBeaus Mum Posts: 3,545
in Problem solving
has anyone experienced wild rabbits eating bearded iris?
need to work out where to plant my new ones so they will be safe
thank you in advance
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Posts

  • a1154a1154 Sunny South Scotland Posts: 1,033
    Nope, I have rabbits and iris coexisting! Never been nibbled. I think they are interested in anything new though, so you might be unlucky. They are definitely not on the list of favourite rabbit foods though. 
  • Beaus MumBeaus Mum Posts: 3,545
    Thank you for letting me know 😊
  • GrumpymumGrumpymum Oxfordshire Posts: 77
    I planted some out last Autumn and within a week they'd all disappeared apart from a few slivers. I thought it might have been squirrels as they visit my garden a lot, but could have been a rabbit too as my garden backs onto a field. 
  • FairygirlFairygirl west central ScotlandPosts: 49,135
    Rabbits definitely eat them. I lost several at a previous house.
    If you can protect them when young, they might be ok.  Those lists of so called 'rabbit proof plants' aren't to be believed, I'm afraid. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....


  • a1154a1154 Sunny South Scotland Posts: 1,033
    Hmm ‘my’ rabbits definitely don’t eat iris. I must be providing tastier plants! 
  • JellyfireJellyfire SuffolkPosts: 1,139
    We are overrun with rabbits here, usually most new plants get eaten to the ground when I plant them, then in their second year or flush they get left alone. They have never touched the bearded iris though. 

    I concur with @Fairygirl on the rabbit proof plants list, I dont think the rabbits have read it.

  • Singing GardenerSinging Gardener EssexPosts: 1,214
    The rabbits who visit my garden don't eat bearded iris - well, not yet anyway! At present lupins, roses and wisteria are popular with them.
  • raisingirlraisingirl East Devon, on the Edge of Exmoor.Posts: 6,328
    In my experience, rabbits eat anything. They prefer grass - nice short, mown grass. But they try everything and will eat anything and it can be pretty random what they annihilate and what they leave alone.

    For example, I've grown astrantias for several years without any of them being touched. This year, the bunnies have destroyed the 3 white flowered ones, but have left the 2 pink ones. They've also eaten a holly bush. And they are eating the echinacea that they didn't eat last year.

    I don't think bearded iris will be high on the target list - rather tough and fibrous. But don't count on it. I wouldn't expect them to eat holly either.
    “Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first” 
  • JellyfireJellyfire SuffolkPosts: 1,139
    Similar story here, Id almost given up even trying with lupins, and this year they have completely left them alone. Other than the bearded iris, the constants they have never touched (so far at least), are foxgloves, alliums, nepeta, and anything very tough leaved, such as hellebore.
  • FairygirlFairygirl west central ScotlandPosts: 49,135
    They ate holly in my garden too  :(
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....


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