12 Beautiful Annual Flowers That Rabbits Won't Touch

While they may be cuter than other garden pests, damage from rabbits creates a real problem when it comes to outdoor plants. Keeping rabbits from eating your plants can be a time-consuming process, from driving them away with repellents to installing chicken-wire fences, or even relocating them after successful captures using a Havahart live trap. If its true that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, its helpful to consider overhauling your backyard landscape with shrubs, native plants, ground covers, perennials, and annuals that rabbits avoid naturally.

There are a variety of plants and flowers that rabbits wont eat. The bonus is that most of these species are also deer-resistant, offering double protection from common pests. There is a drawback, however, as some of these flowers are toxic plants—so its important to exercise caution in growing them around children or pets.

Rabbits, like humans, have different tastes in food. The plants listed below are avoided by most rabbits, but results can vary based on the specific animals in your garden.

As an avid gardener, nothing is more frustrating than spending time and money planting gorgeous flowers only to have them devoured overnight by hungry rabbits. Through years of trial and error in my own garden, I’ve learned that certain annual flowers seem to deter rabbits while others are like an all-you-can-eat salad bar.

Based on my personal experience here are 12 beautiful annual flowers that rabbits avoid

1. Alyssum

Alyssum produces masses of tiny fragrant flowers in white, pink, purple or yellow from early summer well into fall The fuzzy texture and pungent aroma of both the blooms and foliage seem to turn rabbits away Alyssum thrives in full sun to partial shade and is drought tolerant once established. Use it as an edging plant or in containers.

2. Zinnias

Bold, colorful zinnia blooms attract butterflies but repel rabbits. The stiff stems and coarse leaves are unappealing. For maximum flowers, plant zinnias in a sunny spot with well-drained soil. Deadhead spent blooms to encourage continuous flowering. Great for cut flower bouquets.

3. Marigolds

With their pungent scent, marigolds tend to deter rabbits from nibbling. Available in a rainbow of sunny colors like yellow, gold, orange and red. Marigolds are easy to grow, tolerate poor soils and bloom profusely. Plant in beds, borders or containers.

4. Cleome

Also called spider flower, cleome has spidery blooms that rabbits avoid. The tall plants produce pink, purple or white flowers atop prickly stems. Cleome prefers full sun and tolerates heat and drought very well. Give it room to spread in the garden.

5. Snapdragon

The coarse texture and thick leaves of snapdragons make them unpalatable to rabbits. These easy-care cool weather annuals bloom in a variety of colors including white, pink, red, yellow and orange. Use snapdragons in beds and borders or grow them in pots.

6. Petunias

Petunias are prolific bloomers that rabbits tend to leave alone. Trumpet-shaped single or double blooms come in all colors and patterns. Give them full sun and well-drained soil. Use in beds, borders, hanging baskets and container gardens.

7. Verbena

Tough, heat-loving verbenas are mostly avoided by rabbits. They produce clusters of small flowers in shades of red, pink, purple, white or blue all season long. Verbenas spread nicely on the ground or cascade beautifully in containers and hanging baskets.

8. Salvia

With their intense aroma and nectar-rich blooms that attract hummingbirds, salvias of all varieties seem to deter rabbits. Available in a rainbow of colors including red, purple, pink, white and blue. Give salvias full sun and well-drained soil.

9. Cosmos

The ferny, hairy foliage of cosmos is unappealing to rabbits. Cosmos thrives in full sun and average soil. It comes in bright colors like pink, purple, orange, red and white. Blooms make great cut flowers. Plant cosmos in informal cottage gardens.

10. Lantana

Lantana’s rough, pungent foliage keeps rabbits at bay. Plus, butterflies love the colorful clusters of blooms. Lantana does well in poor, dry soil and hot sun. Use in beds, borders, containers or hanging baskets for non-stop color.

11. Nasturtiums

With their trailing habit and pungent waterlily-like foliage, nasturtiums are typically left alone by rabbits. The edible flowers come in warm colors like red, yellow, orange, pink and peach. Plant nasturtiums in full sun to partial shade.

12. Dianthus

Member of the carnation family, dianthus produces flowers that resemble tiny carnations or pinks in white, pink, red and purple. The blue-green grassy foliage is unappetizing to rabbits. Use dianthus in rock gardens, borders, pots and cottage gardens.

While no plant is 100% rabbit-proof, sticking to annuals with strong scents, fuzzy or prickly textures, and bold colors gives you the best chance of foiling the bunnies. Mix these unfavorable flowers together and plant densely to discourage nibbling. Determined rabbits will eat anything when hungry enough, so protect new plantings with fencing until established. But planting primarily annual flowers that rabbits avoid will let your garden flourish, not become an all-night bunny buffet. With smart plant selection and vigilant protection, you can happily share your garden with Peter Rabbit!

annual flowers that rabbits won't eat