Do note, however, that all such pest-resistant lists deal in probability, not certainty. Whether we’re discussing groundhog-resistant plants or deer-resistant plants, the fact is the pest in question will eat just about anything if starving. But you put the odds in your favor if you grow plants that pests are less likely to eat. There are many plants that groundhogs generally avoid; learn about some of the prettiest and most useful ones. Yarrow is a tough enough plant to naturalize in some areas. This quality, along with its showy, flattened clusters of flowers and delicate leaves, makes yarrow a popular edging plant. There are probably two reasons why groundhogs avoid hellebores:
They are toxic. Both their sepals and leaves are tough rather than tender, making them unpalatable.
People gardening in groundhog territory who refuse to restrict their plant selection to what groundhogs don’t eat must compensate by being vigilant. Whenever they detect signs of groundhog damage, they must take measures to control these pests immediately, or else they’ll soon find their gardens in shambles. If you grow only flowers in your landscape, you’ll probably have less trouble with groundhogs than do people who grow vegetables. Still, there are some perennial flowers that groundhogs are known to eat. These include, in addition to black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta):
New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) Bellflower (Campanula)
But vegetable gardeners usually bear the brunt of woodchuck attacks. The pests commonly eat the following vegetables:
Beans Broccoli Brussels sprouts Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Collard greens Corn Cucumbers Kale Kohlrabi Lettuce Peas Squash Strawberries Tomatoes
The smartest way to beat woodchuck pests is to grow flowers they usually avoid, especially when there are so many such choices that are both beautiful and highly useful in the landscape.
