Coreopsis is one of the perfect early summer bloomers with rose, yellow, orange, white, lavender, or bi-colored flowers that everyone will love. Will rabbits eat Coreopsis?
Falling under the family Asteraceae, Coreopsis is a genus name for various plant species, often referred to as tickseed, Pot of Gold, or calliopsis (which they share with other plants), native to the south, central, and north America.
Asteraceae (aster, composite, sunflower, or daisy family) also has other popular plants like sunflower, artichokes, coneflowers, zinnias, chrysanthemum, dahlias, stevia, among others.
People, who live where rabbits or dear cause an immense menace to your garden or landscaping ornamentals, they can take a sigh of relief? Why? Because Coreopsis plants are among the plants that the University of Arizona considers as seldomly eaten by rabbits since they are less palatable, i.e., rabbits don’t usually eat Coreopsis.
However, we have to warn you that what they eat may change with changes in temperature, rainfall, and food availability when it comes to rabbits. Therefore, when these conditions don’t favor them, they may eat even plants considered resistant.
People who want to grow these daisies like summer-blooming ornamentals with a showy flower head in their garden, containers, or as a groundcover or border plants know, it is worthwhile noting that these flowers need a well-drained (sandy soil), and full sun or partly shaded. They are super easy to grow and are ideal for USDA Hardiness Zone 7a/6b.
Coreopsis will also attract butterflies and other pollinator insects like hoverflies, bees, spiders, etc., and are food to caterpillars of Lepidoptera such as Coleophora acamtopappi.
While Coreopsis are bunny resistant, some people have reported rabbit damage. If you are one of them, you need to find ways to keep these pesky pests away. A perfect way will be a 1-inch chicken mesh. Burry it at least 4-6 inches to the ground to deter diggers, and it should be at least 2 feet high.
You can also consider other ways to keep bunnies out of your gardens, such as rabbit deterrents and repellents.
Finally, if you have chosen to plant these bunny resistant ornamentals, some of the notable species to consider are C. grandiflora and C. verticillata and their cultivars. Also, varieties like Early Sunrise, Golden Showers, Moonbeam, Zagreb, Nana, Crème Caramel, Garnet, Desert Coral, Full Moon, among others, are a perfect choice.