The charming pink, red, orange, yellow, or white flowers with the cone-like centers make coneflowers a fantastic garden ornamental choice. Are they rabbit resistant, or will rabbits eat them?
Coneflowers refer to the various genus Echinacea species characterized by cone-like raised centers in the sunflower, aster, daisy, or composite family. However, it can also refer to the genus Rudbeckia plants that have similar flowers.
Echinaceas grows in North America (eastern and central) in open woodlands and moist to dry prairies. They make lovely garden ornamental plants, while some like E. purpurea, E. pallida, and E. angustifolia have medicinal properties.
Will rabbits eat them?
Coneflowers are deer resistant, hardy (hardiness zone 3-8), and drought-resistant once established. They are easy to grow, attract butterflies and other pollinators, and tolerate shade, but they prefer full sun.
Unfortunately, rabbits can eat coneflowers and are among the most eaten perennials, together with asters, hostas, oriental and Asiatic hybrid lilies, pansies, tulips, etc., states the University of Nebraska Lincoln.
Similarly, the North Carolina State University notes that “rabbits, however, can overuse the plant frequently eating the foliage down to ground level.” However, some resources note SFGate states that “Echinacea (E. purpurea) is a perennial plant that provides a fragrant option to keeping rabbits away.”
Protecting your coneflowers
Therefore, if you live in places full of wild rabbits, jackrabbits, cottontails, and hares, you need measures to stop these animals from eating down your coneflowers, especially when they are young. Some ways include:
- Consider exclusion by fencing with a 1-inch mesh chicken wire buried four inches into the ground and at least two feet high.
- Modify the habitat by removing nearby bushes, tall grasses, or weeds as they provide a perfect hiding place.
- Frightening devices
- Use rabbit repellants
- Trapping and shooting
- Consider intercropping them with plants they hate or switching to rabbit resistant ornamental plants such as foxglove, snapdragon, hollyhocks, calendula, chrysanthemums, among others.
Your rabbits can snack on them
Since they have immune-stimulating and powerful antioxidant properties, consider feeding coneflowers to your rabbits in moderation as a treat.
A study on the Influence of Echinacea extract pre-or postnatal supplementation on immune and oxidative status of growing rabbits notes that there was reduced mortality rate and increased body weight and red blood cells when Echinacea extract was given.
Similarly, another study that involved rabbit dietary supplementation with pale purple coneflower concludes that there was “An improvement in growth performances and a reduction in the mortality rate were observed in growing rabbits fed diets with Echinacea purpurea.”
Are they safe for you?
Did you know that teas, tinctures, teas, and extracts (leaves, flowers, stem, and roots) of the medicinal species are high in antioxidants that will help fight free radicals? They may also boost immunity, lower blood sugar, reduce anxiety feelings, have anti-inflammatory properties, and protect against some cancer?
Also, it shows activity against coronavirus, reduces risks of the common cold, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) considers it safe when used for a short time.
However, before you start using it, you need to be aware of possible side effects that include rashes swelling, stomach pain, hives, nausea, and so on; if you have allergies to other flowers like marigold, ragweed, daisies, and so on,