You’ve likely worked hard at caring for your rose bushes, making it disheartening to discover that something is eating them. So, if you’ve seen some wild rabbits running around your yard, it might get you wondering—do rabbits eat roses?
We’ll help you understand when rabbits might be eating your rose bushes and how to stop it from happening.
Do Rabbits Eat Roses?
Roses love to eat roses. Rabbits are an even bigger challenge for gardeners because they also enjoy eating rose leaves. Even a rose bush’s prickly stems aren’t a match for a hungry rabbit.
If you’re unsure what’s eating your rose bushes but suspect it could be a rabbit, below are some tell-tale signs:
- Rabbit droppings near your plant
- Large rabbit holes in your garden
- Clean teeth marks at a 45-degree angle
- All damage is on the lower part of the plant
Rabbits can stand on their hind legs, but they can only reach so far up a rose bush. For this reason, they prefer younger bushes with buds and foliage near the ground.
How To Protect Your Roses From Rabbits
Now that you know the answer to “Do rabbits eat roses?” and assuming you believe the Easter bunnies in your backyard are the culprit, below are some strategies for deterring them.
Plant Your Roses Higher
The best way to stop rabbits from eating your roses is by planting them out of reach. A raised garden bed or tall pots are excellent options. Since most rose stems don’t hang directly on the ground, you don’t need as much height as you think.
Instead, a two-foot garden bed or a barrel bot will often create enough height to fix your rabbit problem permanently.
Of course, there are some rabbit anomalies. For example, if you live in England, you’d need to watch out for Darius, who holds the record for the largest rabbit in the world, clocking in at over four feet long. But for the most part, you shouldn’t have to worry about such massive sizes in wild rabbits.
Put Up a Fence
We know it’s not romantic, but fencing off your roses is almost a surefire way to “nip” the problem in the “bud.” Depending on the species of rabbit, they might be able to jump as high as four feet. Therefore, build a fence at least this high.
But height isn’t everything. In ideal conditions, rabbits live in groups and form warrens (burrow systems). So, bury your fence at least ten inches deep to prevent them from creating an underground entrance.
Use Rabbit Repellent
We don’t advocate putting harmful chemicals around your rose garden to deter rabbits from eating your bushes. However, rabbits are sensitive to smell, so you can prevent them from eating your roses by spraying your garden with an odor they don’t like.
You can order rabbit repellent online or pick it up from your local garden store. Alternatively, you can make your own repellent using chopped onions, talcum powder, or sulfur.
Consider planting lavender, allium, or blackeyed Susans near your roses to create a double-whammy smell effect. Rabbits don’t like these plants, so they’ll stay clear of them.
The Bottom Line
Yes, rabbits eat rose bushes as well as many other plants including daffodils and phlox. But luckily, the damage they do to them is usually minimal. Since rabbits don’t eat rose bush roots, they’re unlikely to kill your roses.
Nevertheless, seeing chewed stems, leaves, and rose flowers at the bottom of your plant is unpleasant. So, give one or more of the solutions we shared here a try. Before you know it, you’ll enjoy your full-blooming rose bush again.