What the heck chewed up my Pachira?

I came home this evening to find that something had taken a virtual chainsaw to the top branches of my potted pachira (Money Tree).
It is a pretty big one, about 6' tall including the approximately 1' of pot. I keep it in a shady spot in the back garden all summer, and have had not problem in past seasons. I just put it out about a week ago.

The photo shows what the nubs of the 3 tallest branches look like now. If you enlarge the photo, I swear you'll see a tooth mark on the one on the right. There were also many leaves on the ground.

What the heck did this? Any ideas? If I can figure out what it is, perhaps I can find a way to keep it from happening again.

Thanks! I'm mystified.

Deb



This message was edited Apr 7, 2010 8:23 PM

I would suspect deer browsing. They may have thought that you put out a buffet for them.

Because of the height, I'd have thought the same, Suunto, but I have never - ever - seen a deer in our area. We're in a large subdivision surrounded by farms, and very little wooded expanse.

You really think it could still be deer? (Say it ain't so!!)

Deer are just about everywhere in the eastern US, and will come right into towns. When we lived in Maryland, they would literally come within a few feet of our house to munch on our strawberries. That aside, if they are in your area, you should have seen one or two by now. About all I can suggest is to set up a floodlight, and switch it late in the evening or very early morning to see if you catch the culprit.

Deer are the only thing I can think of too at that height. Suunto is right, deer are everywhere, I know people who live in subdivisions that are surrounded by other subdivisions and they still have deer. They are usually most active around dawn & dusk, so if you're not outside at those time you may not see them. Or you may not have very many--if you had tons of them you'd know it because they would have eaten plenty of other things in your yard and you probably would have seen them, but if there are just a few around they may only come around once in a while.

Thank you both for the info. Whatever it was, it hasn't come back....yet. I've been watching. If I ever see the guilty party, I'll let ya know.
Much appreciated!
Deb

Oh great. "It" came back. I don't know when. I've been watching early morning and late afternoon, early evening. Nevertheless, between yesterday afternoon and this afternoon. It finished off the plant to the point where there are no leaves, just sticks.
Here's the damage. Does this look like what deer do?
These marks were all about 5 ft off the ground.
Thanks!
Deb

Deer could do that, and given the height I can't think of anything else that could reach that far.

Thanks, Ecrane. I am totally mystified. Next, I'll be setting the alarm to get up in the middle of the night,...just to catch sight of the little marauder! LOL.

Deer don't need woods, they may hang out there between meals to keep out of sight, but farmland and subdivisions are their food courts. In one subdivision in Maryland I have seen them openly stroll down the street in a group and go up to people's window boxes to graze. One lady I know there had them eat her Christmas wreath off her front door.

Greenthumb, thanks - now I'm going to be watching my windowboxes, too! LOL. Seriously, it makes sense I suppose for there to be deer, but in 5 years, I hadn't seen one; however, my neighbor who has lived in this neighborhood longer than I have, says they used to see deer pretty often. So, there you go.

Just wondering if you have ever gotten to see the mystical creature eating your plants?

Never spotted a culprit! I moved the plant up closer to the house, and nothing has been nibbled since.

Sure would like to see the guilty party. :)

I lost my dogs this spring, they passed on and I now have deer, first time in 25 years on my property, the neighbors are having trouble too. I sprayed febreeze fabric refresher around all the plants they were nibbling on and so far they have not come back, lan to do this after each rain. Anyone else tried this? Annette

I've never tried it, but I've heard of people using things like dryer sheets to repel them, so if that works it makes sense that something with a fragrance like Febreze might work too.