|
Genus/Species |
Common Name |
Deer Proof by# |
Comments |
Fire Proof by # |
with 1/M water |
|
|
|
10 usually safe to 1 totally destroyed |
|
10 usually safe to 1 a fire bomb |
|
Abies bracteata Santa Lucia Fir 8 usually safe 5 with reg.water 7
Acacia Farnesiana Sweet Acacia 5 7 very light fuel load
Acacia Greggii Catclaw 9 very thorny 7 "
Acer macrophyllum Big Leaf Maple 8(protect when young) 8 a water lover
Acer negundo calif. Box Elder 8 6 a water lover
Achillea borealis ssp. cal. Yarrow 9 usually dormant when deer worst 8 very light fuel load
Adenostema fasciculatum Chamise 6 they browse but don't destroy 1 a fire plant, clear 100'
Aesculus calif. Buckeye 9 poisonous to all(but gophers & deer have eaten)8 structure of tree makes safe
Agave deserti Century Plant 8 on bad years they roll out new plants and eat bottom 10 99% water
Agave utahensis Century Plant "
Alnus rhombifolia White Alder 2 7 water lover
Amelanchier alnifolia West. Service Berry 5 7
Amorpha calif. False Indigo 10 yeach! 4 chaparral plant
Aquilegia eximia Red Columbine 6 10 if kept cleaned up 4 if not
Aquilegia formosa Western Columbine "
Aquilegia pubescens Sierra Columbine "
Aquilegia Shockleyi Desert Columbine "
Arbutus Menziesii Madrone 9(if introduced into other 7) 7 structure safe,will recov
Manzanitas are much more deer resistant in thier native areas ,gray ones more deer proof
Arctostaphylos crustacea Brittleleaf Manzanita 5 4,7 if pruned up
Arctostaphylos densiflora 'Harmony' 4 6,8 "
Arctostaphylos densiflora 'Howard McMinn' 4 They will eat every leaf,but no stems in bad areas 6,8 "
Arctostaphylos densiflora 'Sentinel' 5 6,8 "
Arctostaphylos Edmundsii Sur Manzanit 4 8 very low plant
Arctostaphylos Edmundsii 'Danville' 4 "
Arctostaphylos glauca Big Berry Manzanita 9 They usually don't bother this 4,6 if pruned
Arctostaphylos Hookeri 'Monterey Carpet' 4 They will eat every leaf, but leave stems in bad areas 6
Arctostaphylos Hookeri 'Wayside' 4 " 5
Arctostaphylos manzanita 'Dr. Hurd' 9 They usually don't bother this 4,6 if pruned
Arctostaphylos morroensis Morro Bay Manzanita 7 4
Arctostaphylos pajaroensis Pajaro Manzanita 4 4
Arctostaphylos parryana Parry Manzanita 6 4
Arctostaphylos pilosula La Panza Manzanita 6 4
Arctostaphylos pumila Dune Manzanita 4 4
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Bear Berry 4 8
Arctostaphylos 'Emerald Carpet' 4 8
Arctostaphylos 'Green Bay' 4 8
Arctostaphylos 'Greensphere' 4 6
Arctostaphylos 'Sunset' 4 5
Argemone munita Prickly Poppy 5 8
Armeria maritima var. calif. Thrift 4 10
Arnica Parryi Sonnei 5 10
Artemisia californica Calif. Sagebrush 5 3
Artemisia pycnocephala Sandhill Sage 4 2
Artemisia tridentata Big Basin Sagebrush 9 3
Asarum caudatum Wild Ginger 7 10
Asclepias eriocarpa Monarch Milkweed 9 8
Asclepias speciosa Showy Milkweed 9 8
Aster adscendens Purple Aster 6 10 flat
Atriplex Breweri Quail Bush 4 rabbits will eat until 3' tall 8-9 very succulent
Atriplex canescens Fourwing Saltbush 4 7-8
Atriplex hymenelytra Desert Holly 5 8
Atriplex polycarpa Alkali Saltbrush 5 6
Baccharis pilularis "Pigeon Point "or 'Santa Ana' 9 after first year browsing great! 6,9 if watered and pruned
Baccharis pilularis consanguinea Coyote Bush 9 7
Beloperone calif. Chuparosa 7 7
Betula occidentalis River Birch 4 ok after they are above deer height 7
Brodiaea puchella Blue Dicks 8 off seanon with deer 10
Calycanthus occidentalis Spice Bush 9 7
Carpenteria californica Bush Anemone 7 6
Ceanothus arboreus Is. Moun. Liliac 2 they eat as high as they can reach 5
Ceanothus cuneatus Buckbrush 9 5
Ceanothus foliosus Scented-leaf 8 5
Ceanothus gloriosus Point Reyes Cea. 7 7,8 if watered
Ceanothus Greggii var. perplexans Cupleaf Cea. - 9 7
Ceanothus griseus Big Sur Cean. 1 7
Ceanothus griseus 'Louis Edmunds' 1 7
Ceanothus griseus var. horizon. Yankee Point 1 7
Ceanothus hearstiorum Carpet Mountain Liliac 7 7-8
Ceanothus hearstiourm X 'Joyce Coulter' 'Blue Lolita' 1 4
Ceanothus impressus Santa Barbara Ceanothus 7 will eat new grow in bad years 6
Ceanothus integerrimus Deer Brush 4 5
Ceanothus Lemmonii Lemmon's Ceanothus 6 7
Ceanothus leucodermis Whitebark Ceanothus 7 5
Ceanothus leucodermis 'L.T.' 8 5
Ceanothus maritimus Maritime Ceanothus 8 8 nearly flat
Ceanothus megacarpus Bigpod Ceanothus 8 5, 6 if pruned up
Ceanothus papillosus Wartleaf Ceanothus 8 7
Ceanothus prostratus Squaw Carpet 8 7
Ceanothus purpureus 'Mills Glory' 10one of the most deer proof plants we have seen 7
Ceanothus sorediatus Jim Bush 7 5
Ceanothus thyrsiflorus Blue Blossom 5 7
Ceanothus tomentosus oliv Woolyleaf Cean 8 7
Ceanothus verrucosus Wartystem Ceanothus 8 7
Ceanothus 'Blue Jeans' 10 7
Ceanothus 'Concha' 7 will eat new growth in bad years 7
Ceanothus 'Dark Star' 8 7
Ceanothus 'Emily Brown' 9 8
Ceanothus 'Frosty Blue' 7 7
Ceanothus 'Joyce Coulter' 7 7
Ceanothus 'Julia Phelps' 8 7
Ceanothus 'Mountain Haze' 7 7
Ceanothus 'Ray Hartman' 2 7
Ceanothus 'Sierra Blue' 2 7
Ceanothus 'Snowball' 10 7
Celtis reticulata Hackberry 8 7
Cephalanthus occ. var. calif. Buttonwillow 7
Cercidium floridium Palo Verde 5 8
Cercidium microphyllum Little Leaf Horse Bean 5 8
Cercis occidentalis Western Redbud 7 8
Cercocarpus alnifolius Alder Leaf Moun. Mah 1 7
Cercocarpus betuloides Mountain Mahogany 3 7
Cercocarpus ledifolius Desert Moun. Mahogany 6 7
Chilopsis linearis Desert Willow 7 8
Chlorogalum pomeridianum Soap Plant 7 8
Clematis ligusticifolia Virgin's Bower 7 4
Clematis lasiantha Virgin's Bower 7 4
Comarostaphylos diversifolia Summer Holly 6 5
Cornus glabrata Brown Stem Dogwood 7 7
Cornus Nuttallii Mountain Dogwood (difficult) 6 7
Cornus sessilis Forest Dogwood 6 8
Cornus stolonifera Redtwig Dogwood 6 8
Cowania mexicana Cliff Rose 5 5
Crossosoma californicum Crabapple bush 5 6
Cupressus Bakeri Modoc Cypress 10 4
Cupressus Forbesii Tecate Cypress 10 4
Cupressus Goveniana Gowen Cypress 10 4
Cupressus macnabiana McNab Cypress 10 4
Cupressus Sargentii Sargent Cypress 10 4
Delphinium cardinale Scarlet Larkspur(Spr-sum) 9 10
Delphinium Parishii Sky-Blue Larkspur (spr.) 9 10
Dendromecon rigida Bush Poppy 5 10
Dicentra chrysantha Golden Ear Drops 8 9
Diplacus aurantiacus Sticky Monkey Flower 9 4,8 with water
Diplacus bifidus Azalea-flowered monkey 8 not favorites but will eat "
Diplacus longiflorus Southern Monkey Flower "
Diplacus longiflorus caly. Ridgecrest Monkey "
Diplacus puniceus Mission Monkey Flower "
Dodecatheon Clevelandii Shooting Star 4 10
Dodecatheon Clevelandii var. insulare 4 10
Draba oligosperma Yellow Flowered Moss 9 10
Dudleya cymosa Liveforever 7(ducks love) 10
Dudleya edulis Narrow Leaf Liveforever 7 " 10
Dudleya lanceolata Liveforever 6 " 10
Dudleya pulverulenta Chaulk Dudleya 8 10
Dyssodia thurberi Dainty Yellow Composite 8 8
Encelia farinosa Incienso, Brittle-Bush 5 7
Erigeron glaucus Seaside Daisy 7 7
Erigeron foliosus Hartwegii 8 8
Eriodictyon calif. Yerba Santa 8 2
Eriodictyon tomentosum Wooly Yerba Santa 8 7
Eriogonum arborescens Santa Cruz Is. Buckwh 3 3
Eriogonum caespitosum Silver Buckwheat 3 3
Eriogonum cinereum Ash-Leaf Buckwheat 3 2
Eriogonum compositum Dry Mountain Buckwheat 4 5
Eriogonum crocatum Saffron Buckwheat 4 3
Eriogonum fasciculatum Calif. Buckwheat 6 1
Eriogonum fasc. var. pol. Gray Calif. Buck 6 1
Eriogonum giganteum Saint Catherine's Lace 6 2
Eriogonum grande var. rub. Red Buckwheat 5 3
Eriogonum umbellatum Sulfur Flower 5 5
Eriogonum Wrightii var. sub. High Mountain 5 2
Eriophyllum confertiflorum Golden Yarrow 6 6
Eriophyllum lanatum var.arach. Spider Yarrow 6 7
Erysimum concinnum Scented Wallflower 5 9
Erysimum menziesii Menzes's Wallflower 5 9
Fallugia paradoxa Apache Plume 5 5
Ferocactus acanthodes Barrel Cactus 7 on bad years they will eat from bottom up 10
Forestiera neomexicana Desrt Olive 5 7
Fraxinus dipetala Flowering Ash 7 7
Fragaria calif. Wood Strawberry 5 10
Fragaria chiloensis Beach Strawberry 5 10
Fremontia californica Calif. Flannel Bush 4 3
Fremontia hybrid (PACIFIC SUNSET SEEDLINGS) 4 3
Fremontia mexicana Mexican Flannel 7 3
Galvezia speciosa Island Snapdragon 2 7
Garrya elliptica 'James Roof'SilkTassel 7 7
Haplopappus linearifolius Narrowleaf Golden Bush 7 3
Helenium hoopsii Owlclaws 7 8
Heteromeles arbutifolia Toyon 7 7
Heuchera maxima Island Alum Root 8 8
Heuchera micrantha Alum Root 8 8
Heuchera pilosissima Hairy Alum Root 8 8
Heuchera rubescens var. glandulosa Dwarf Alum 8 8
Holodiscus discolor Cream Bush 6 5
Hyptis Emoryi Desert-Lavender 7 5
Iris Douglasiana Pacific Coast Iris 10 8
Iris hybrids Pacific Iris 8 8
Iris longipetala 9 8
Iris missouriensis Western Blue Flag 10 8
Iris Munzii Tulare Lavender Iris 10 8
Isomeris arborea Bladderpod 9 5
Iva Hayesiana Hayes Iva 9 7
Juglans hindsii Calif. Black Walnut 6 7
Juniperus californica Calif. Juniper 9 6
Keckiella antirrhinoides Bush Snapdragon 7 5
Keckiella breviflora Bush Beard-tongue 7 6
Keckiella cordifolia Climbing Penstemon 7 6
Keckiella ternatus Whorl-leaf Penstemon 7 6
Larrea divaricata Creosote Bush 9 5
Lavatera assurgentiflora Malva Rosa 6 7
Lepechinia calycina Pitcher Sage 8 5
Lepechinia fragrans Island Pitcher Sage 7 5
Lepidium Fremontii Desert Alyssum 4? 6
Lewisia Cotyledon Siskiyou Lewsia 3? 10
Libocedrus decurrens Incense Cedar 10(bucks will clean antlers) 7
Lilium Humboltii var. Bloomerianum Tiger Lily 4(usually dormant summer) 10
Lilium pardalinum Leopard Lily 3 " 10
Lilium Wigginsii 3 " 10
Lithocarpus densiflora Tan Bark Oak 9 7
Lithophragma heterophylla Woodland Star 6 10
Lonicera subspicata var. Johnstonii 9 7
Lonicera hispidula Calif.Honeysuckle 9 6
Lonicera interrupta Chaparral Honeysuckle 7 6
Lonicera involucrata Twinberry 7 7
Lotus scoparius Deer Weed 5 3
Lupinus albifrons Silver Lupine 9 5
Lupinus arboreus Tree Lupine 9 5
Lupinus Chamissonis Silver Beach Lupine 9 5
Machaeranthera tortifolia Mojave Aster 5? 5
Mahonia aquifolium Oregon Grape 6 7
Mahonia nevinii Nevin's mahonia 6 7
Mahonia repens Creeping mahonia 6 8
Malacothamnus fasc. Chaparral Bush Mallow 8 5
Malacothamnus gracilis Lopez Bush Mallow 8 5
Malacothamnus niveus Las Pilitas Bush Mallow 8 5
Malacothamnus orbiculatus 8 5
Mimulus cardinalis Scarlet Monkey Flower 5 9
Mimulus tilingii Creeping Monkey Flower 5 9
Monardella antonina 8 6
Monardella macrantha Large Flowered Mon. 8 8
Monardella Palmeri Purple leaved 8 8
Monardella subglabra Mint Bush 8 7
Monardella villosa Coyote Mint 8 6
Myrica californica Pacific Wax Myrtle 8 7
Oenothera hookeri Hooker's Evening Primrose 5 6
Paeonia californica Calif. Peony 9 8
Pellaea andromedaefolia Coffee Fern 9 7
Pellaea mucronata Bird Foot Fern 9 7
Penstemon azureus Azure Penstemon 7 8
Penstemon Bridgesii Red Mountain Fountains 7 8
Penstemon centranthifolius Scarlet Bugler 7 8
Penstemon centranthifoliusX 'Pilitas Pink' 7 8
Penstemon clevelandii Cleveland's Penstemon 7 8
Penstemon Davidsonii Blue Color Mat 9 9
Penstemon grinnellii Bee penstemon 8 7
Penstemon heterophyllus Blue Bedder 9(3 until est.) 6
Penstemon laetus 9 " 9
Penstemon labrosus Scalet Penstemon 7 9
Penstemon Newberryi sonomensis Mountain Pride 7 9
Penstemon palmerii Balloon Flower 9 8
Penstemon Rattanii Eel River Penstemon 6 9
Penstemon Rydbergii Whorl Penstemon 9 9
Penstemon spectabilis Showy Penstemon 7 6
Phacelia Bolanderi Blue-flowered grape leaf 8 7 Philadelphus lewisii Wild Mock Orange 7 7
Physocarpus capitatus Ninebark 6? 7
Picea engelmannii Engelman Spruce 8 7
Pickeringia montana Chaparrel Pea 8 5
Pinus aristata Bristlecone Pine 5 5
Pinus attenuata Knob-cone pine 5 4
Pinus Coulteri Coulter Pine 5 5
Pinus flexilis Limber Pine 4 5
Pinus jeffreyi Jeffrey Pine 5 4
Pinus lambertiana Sugar Pine 4 5
Pinus monophylla Pinyon Pine - 5 4
Pinus muricata Bishop Pine 4 5
Pinus Murrayana Lodgepole Pine - 4 5
Pinus ponderosa Ponderosa Pine 4 5
Pinus radiata Monterey Pine 3 4
Pinus radiata macrocarpa Cambria Pine 3 3
Pinus remorata Santa Cruz Island Pine 4 4
Pinus Sabiniana Digger Pine 4 4
Pinus torreyana Torrey Pine 4 4
Pinus washoensis Washoe Pine 4 4
Pityrogramma triangularis Goldback Fern 10 9
Platanus racemosa Sycamore 4 not safe until 5' above deer height(a few times they act as beavers) 8
Polystichum munitum Western Sword Fern 10 7
Populus fremontii 'Zapata' 4 not safe until 5' above deer height,then ok 8
Populus trichocarpa Black Cottonwood 4 "
Potentilla gracilis Cinquefoil 5? 7
Potentilla gland. Cream Colored Cinquefoil 5? 7
Potentilla pectinisecta 5? 7
Prosopis glandulosa Mesquite 7 7
Prosopis pubescens Screwbean Mesquite 7 7
Prunus andersonii Desert Peach 7 7
Prunus ilicifolia Hollyleaf Cherry 6 7
Prunus Lyonii Catalina Cherry 5 7
Prunus punctata Sand Almond 7 7
Prunus virginiana var. demissa Choke Cherry 4 7
Pseudotsuga Menziesii Douglas Fir 8 7
Purshia glandulosa Waxy Bitterbrush 5 6
Purshia tridentata Bitterbrush,Antelope Bush 5 6
Quercus agrifolia Live Oak 7 6
Quercus Alvordiana 7 7
Quercus chrysolepis Canyon Live Oak 8 7
Quercus Douglasii Blue Oak 7 7
Quercus dumosa Scrub Oak 7 7
Quercus durata Leather Oak 8 7
Quercus Engelmannii Mesa Oak 7 7
Quercus Kelloggii Calif. Black Oak 7 7
Quercus lobata Valley Oak 5(ok after 6' tall) 7
Quercus Wislizenii Interior Live Oak 7 7
Quercus Wislizenii var. frutescens Dwarf Live Oak 7 7
Rhamnus calif. Coffee Berry 8 7
Rhamnus crocea Redberry 9 7
Rhamnus ilicifolia Hollyleaf Redberry 9 7
Rhus integrifolia Lemonadeberry 8 7
Rhus ovata Sugar Bush 7 7
Rhus trilobata Squaw Bush 10 7
Ribes aureum Golden Currant 9 7
Ribes californicum Hillside Currant 8 7
Ribes divaricatum Nipomo Gooseberry 7 7
Ribes indecorum White Flowered Currant 9 7
Ribes malvaceum Chaparral Currant 9 7
Ribes Menziesii Canyon Gooseberry 9 7
Ribes quercetorum Yellow Gooseberry 9 7
Ribes sang. var. glut. Pink-Flowered Currant 9 7
Ribes speciosum fuchsia Flowered Currant 9 7
Ribes viburnifolium Evergreen Currant 9 7
Romneya coulteri Matilija Poppy 6 7
Rosa californica Calif. Wild Rose 7 7
Rosa Woodsii var. glabrata(mohavensis)Mojave Rose 7 7
Rosa Woodsii var. ultramontana Fragrant Rose 7 7
Salix lasiolepis var. braceliniae Willow 6 8
Salvia apiana White Sage 7 4
Salvia Brandegei Island Black Sage 9 2
Salvia clevelandii Cleveland Sage, Musk Sage 9 2
Salvia Dorrii Purple Desert Sage 9 3
Salvia clev.XS.leu. 'Pozo Blue' 9 3
Salvia leucophylla Purple Sage 9 2
Salvia mellifera Black Sage 9 2
Salvia mellifera repens Creeping Black Sage 5 7
Salvia sonomensis Creeping Sage 5 6
Salvia spathacea Hummingbird Sage 9 4
Sambucus mexicana Elderberry 9(protect when young) 7
Satureja chandleri Potmint 9 7
Satureja douglasii Yerba Buena 9 9
Satureja mimuloides Red Hummint 9 7
Saxifraga californica Calif. Saxifrage 9 9
Scrophularia atrata Bee Plant 6? 7
Sedum spathulifolium Creeping Stonecrop 7 9
Sequoia sempervirens Coast Redwood 10(Bucks clean antlers) 7
Sequoiadendron giganteum Giant-Sequoia 10 "X 6
Sheperdia argentea Silver Buffalo Berry 6 7
Sidalcea oregana Oregon Checkers 8 7
Simmondsia chinensis Jojoba, Goat Nut 5 5
Sisyrinchium bellum Blue-eyed Grass 8 8
Sisyrinchium calif. Yellow-eyed Grass 8 8
Solanum umbelliferum Blue Witch - 9 6
Solanum Wallacii 5 6
Sphaeralcea ambigua Apricot/Desert Mallow 5 7
Sphaeralcea Munroana 5 7
Stachys bullata Hedge Nettle 9 8
Stanleya pinnata Princes Plume 5 8
Stipa coronata Fountain Grass,Bunchgrass 9 6
Stipa speciosa Neddle Grass, Bunchgrass 9 6
Styrax officinalis var. calif.Snowdrop Bush 6 7
Symphoricarpus albus Snowberry 8 7
Tsuga Mertensiana Mountain Hemlock 7 protect when young 7
Trichostema lanatum Woolly Blue Curls 7(protect when young) 5
Umbellularia calif. Calif. Bay 9 protect when young 7
Viguiera deltoidea Parishii Desert Sunflower 6 4
Viola pedunculata Johnny-Jump-up 7 8
Viola quercetorum Oak Woodland Voilet 7 8
Washingtonia filifera Fan Palm 8 young plants bothered 8
Xylococcus bicolor Mission Manzanita 5? 7
Yucca brevifolia Joshua Tree 8 they will roll out of ground in bad years 9
Yucca schidigera Spanish Dagger 8 " 9
Yucca Whipplei Our Lord's Candle 8 " 9
Zauschneria calif. var. mex. Calif. fuchsia 7 7
Zauschneria canum Narrow Leaf Ca. fuchsia 7 7
Seed List
Antirrium multiflorum Many Flowered Snapdragon 8 5
Atriplex canescens Four Wing Saltbush 5 9
Clarkia amoena Fare-Well-To-Spring 7 5
Clarkia unguilaculata Mountain Garland 6 5
Collinsia heterophylla Chinese Houses 6 6
Coreopsis gigantea Tree Coreopsis 5 8
Coreopsis bigelovi Desert Coreopsis 8 8
Eschcholzia caespitosa Central Valley Poppy 8 7
Eschcholzia californica California Poppy 8 7
Gilia capitatea Globe Gilia, Blue Thimble Gilia 5? 5
Gilia tricolor Bird's Eye Gilia 7 8
Hulsea heterochroma Dandelion Aster(very-y-y difficult)7 5
Lasthenia chrysostoma Goldfields 7 7
Layia gaillardioides Spotted stem Tidy Tips 7 6
Linum lewisii Blue Flax 6? 8
Lupinus bifidus Delicate Lupine 9 5
Lupinus densiflora palustris White Lupine 9 6
Lupinus nanus Foothill Lupine 9 5
Lupinus succulentus Blue Field Lupine 9 4
Machaeranthera tortifolia Mojave Aster 5? 5
Mimulus cardinalis Scarlet Monkey Flower 5 9 Nemophila maculata Five Spot 6 6
Nemophila menziesii Baby Blue Eyes 6 6
Nictiana bigelovii Indian Tobacco 8 6
Oenothera hookeri Evening Primrose 5 6
Orthocarpus densiflorus Owls Clover 6 6
Penstemon heterophyllus Foothill Blue Penstemon 9 6
Phacelia campanularia Blue Bells 5 5
The safest deer plants are native to your area, try to plant plants that blend into your area.
The deer numbers:
1-2: They will eat this plant in one night ,many times not even leaving the roots. If you have ever seen deer in the area it is best not to plant these plants.
3-4: If you have these plants in your garden you don't have deer ,they will leave a leafless, stemless stock that usually will recover poorly. Roses and fruit trees fit into this bracket.
5-6: In light deer populations they will not bother, in moderate populations the plants will be eaten like numbers 3-4, in heavy populations they will remove,stems and all.
7: These plants will tolerate moderate deer populations, heavy populations may be disfigured or damaged. Many native shrubs fit into this catagory. If under some drought stress(as they should be) deer will prefer your neighbors plants first. Some non-natives like rockroses and sunroses are in at this number also. If you have rockroses and they are not being eaten then #7's should be ok.
8-9: These plants are safe in 99% of Calif. and they generally recover in the worst of areas.( Look at note in 10 about new plantings.) Many of the 8-10's are safe for years and a drought will bring the deer population to a higher threshold. Then your 8-9's will be eaten but your neighbors 3-5's will disappear.
10: Close to perfect, sometimes a stupid deer doesn't know better. We have trouble with these when they are planted because the root system will not hold the plant into the ground when the deer check them out. They pull them out. That is why we recommend a cage for the first year(read on). They still will eat the new growth(2-3") on bad years. Use plants in the categories to tell what number area you live in.
Roses 3, Ceanothus 'Carmel Creeper' 2 ,Fruit trees 3, Indian Hawthorne 6, Oleander 8,Buckeye 8,Rosemary 10(but not for a fire area),Lavender 8, Garden Sage 8,most herbs 8,Ivy 7,Tomatoes 2,corn 8(raccoons eat these),Photina 5, Bottle brush 6,Hibiscus 6If you see deer in numbers (5-20) during the day you are a 9. If they climb hawthorns, eat the bark off trees and bushes you are in #10 territory. If you are moving into an new area and no one has landscaped, ask! WHY? We recommend you make cages of chicken wire or orchard wire 4' tall, make a hoop 2' across and wire staple to an 2"X 2"treated post driven into the ground 18". Both the top and bottom can be open,( if they are real bad cover the top). Leave this on the new plantings for the first year. The hoop is easy to make and can be moved to next year's plants. Most of the damage done on 9 & 10s are when newly planted and not hardened off. You need to stress your plants some during the summer so they can develop the necessary terpenes and alkaloides for protection. Deer love nice soft plants. Keeping in mind the fire threat we recommend 1/week to 1/month watering.(Once/week in Barstow, exposed sites in the San Joaquin valley and Paso Robles. In the coastal areas watch the plants, we have had to cut back the watering to 1/month to achieve the stress level for deer protecting.
FIRE
Don't worry too much about fire numbers if your house is on a small lot in town, these numbers are for fire storm areas and they may save your house.
Fire numbers:
1-2: It is a fire bomb, watering will greatly reduce the fire hazard, but even then don't put a mass of theses within 50 of structure. You can plant these by planting in a #10 ground cover or in an island of patio.
3-4: Don't put within 30 feet of structure. No problem planted with 8-10's or in low density plantings.
5-6: These are fairly safe if given 1/month water, not safe if left dry.
7-8: These are typical landscape shrubs such as Hebe or Photinia, not too safe if under drought stress, can be made a fire barrier if given regular water
9-10: These are close to fire proof, if given regular water can be used near dwellings in fire areas.
If you are in a canyon with slopes below you you'll need between 50-300' of clearance. The sharper the slope,the greater the prevailing winds, the more 'wild' the area, the heavier the fuels the greater the cleaned up area. Do not remove the natives on site! Work with them, prune up the trees and shrubs, removing all dead wood, water indirectly the site 1/month,(emmitters placed between plants, 10' away from trees & shrubs).
If you have scenic views with a lot of wind and live in a wooden house, have good fire insurance(if you can get it) and pack your valuables by the door we can not do very much. The only thing I can suggest is to go down slope 50-100 feet and plant a row of cottonwoods and water the hell out they (and pretend they are real evil). This should pick up most of the heat and help protect your house.
In light fuels like 3-6" grass, watered shrubs can knock the fire down. Remember these light fuels when running up-slope or pushed with the wind can put up 15'flames that can move 60 miles/hour. It can be past you the instant you recognize it as a threat.
All your preplans will help increase your survival. You can never get to 100%, but you can get to 95% safe. Most of the urban-brush interface has a survival rate of 50-70% when on an active fire line when no thought is done. Rainbirds turned on do nothing!!!! If you are on a hill top you will not have power or water when the fire hits. Do not expect the fire departments to save you if you do not do your home work! I know because I have been a volunteer fireman for 10 years in one of the worst fire areas in Calif..(The service area of our SLO Co. Fire engine has burned @100,000 acres in 10 years.) If we deem your place not protectable or a life threat to us we will drive by. We also have a problem state wide of many more structures than engines. A fire engine may not get to your site until 30 minutes after the fire has gone through. Ten engines protecting 300 structures overrun by a fire in 30 minutes is normal.
Preplan for deer and fire if you are living in rural area, an area of 1+ acre parcels, or (for fire only, deer haven't eaten these yet) an area of shake roofs.
Best Viewed on a Hercules Monochrome Monitor.