As an avid gardener and landscaping enthusiast, I can confidently say that deer generally do not like to eat vinca plants. Vinca, also known as periwinkle, is a beautiful ground cover plant that produces lovely flowers and dense foliage. While it is not completely immune to deer browsing, they tend to avoid it unless they are extremely hungry or there are no other food sources available.
I have personally experienced this in my own garden. I have a variety of plants, including some that are highly appealing to deer such as hostas and tulips. However, the vinca plants I have planted as a border around my garden have remained untouched by the deer. It seems that they find other plants much more appealing and tend to steer clear of vinca.
Deer are known to have certain preferences when it comes to their diet. They are attracted to tender, succulent vegetation and are particularly fond of young shoots and flowers. Vinca, on the other hand, has a slightly bitter taste and a somewhat tough texture, which makes it less appealing to deer. Additionally, the dense foliage of vinca plants may make it difficult for deer to access the leaves, further deterring them from munching on the plants.
It is worth mentioning that while deer generally do not like to eat vinca, there may be instances where they might still nibble on the plants. This could happen if deer populations are high, food sources are scarce, or if the deer in your area have developed a taste for vinca due to lack of other options. In such cases, it is advisable to consider additional deer deterrent measures, such as fencing or using deer repellents, to protect your vinca plants.
In addition to its potential as a deer deterrent, vinca has another beneficial aspect in the garden. Some gardeners use vinca as a means to mask the scent of other vegetables that deer may find particularly appetizing. By interplanting vinca with susceptible plants, the strong scent of the vinca can help to confuse and deter deer from targeting those vegetables.
To summarize, while deer may occasionally nibble on vinca when they are extremely hungry or have no other food sources available, they generally do not prefer to eat this plant due to its slightly bitter taste and tough texture. As a gardener, I have found vinca to be a reliable and effective deer deterrent in my own garden. However, it is always wise to consider additional measures, such as fencing or repellents, if deer pressure is high in your area.
