Most sites say to avoid rhodos. when deer are a problem. I have a big deer problem!
I am re-doing my foundation landscaping --zone 6, red-brick Colonial house that sets high on the property. I have in mind a 3 layer planting--vetical evergreen against the house, yellow rhodos in the mid section and a boxwood hedge for the front planting. I want a very tradional look.
Suggestions for the evergreen row? Must continue to out-grow the height of the rhodos.
What experience do you have with the capistrano /yellow flowering rhodos. Deer damage, hardiness etc. I am "open" to other yellow rhodos as well. Yellow looks the best against the house.
I am taking out lots and lots of Delaware VW azaleas that are overgrown but looked great against the house for years.So no white . Thanks
capistrano or other yellow rhod./deer?
I don't have any ideas for yellow rhodies, but hollies might work for your evergreen row - the spinier the better, as far as deer resistance goes.
Delaware Valley White is a nice big white azalea, but they look depressing to me when the flowers fade and turn brown. Not too hard to dead-head though, unless you have a bunch of them. I'll probably get one soon from someone who's also getting rid of some.
I can't think of any reason why deer would like yellow rhodies less than they like other ones...I don't think they look at the flower color before they munch! LOL If you really want rhodies, you might try something like Liquid Fence as a repellent--my parents use that and have had pretty good luck with it.
Really just wondered about one's experience with Capsitrano---borers, flower color , grdowth habit etc. I want yellow and know that the deer just want something tender.
You need to research this well (zone wise, fungal problems, etc) because there are no outstanding evergreen yellows out there. I also recommend not buying them sight unseen either. Many times the so called yellows are so light yellow that some people call them white, light yellow, beige, sandy, etc.
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I do not know about your zone, but Capristrano Rhody is fantastic here. Its a beautiful yellow and has huge flowers, I have not had any problems with it as far as bugs or anything. I have my rhodys in two places, one area is in full sun, they do very well there. The other are is shady and I have conifers growing there, I think those have root weevils, the leaves have notches in them and the plants are sickly. I don't think its the type of rhody, its the location. I have learned that near conifers they are more likely to get that root weevil. My capristrano is fine in the full sun, we do not get real hot here so can do hydrangeas and rhodys in full sun.
The deer have not eaten the rhodys around here for some reason, they eat everything else it seems, but leave them alone. I have heard to be careful with nitrogen in fertilizers, it seems to make the plants tasty to the deer. I have never had them eat any heather here as well but some have said they will nibble of they put fertilizer on them, that would be pretty to put in the front of your border, you could have some nice color in winter.
Of course deer will eat just about any rhododendron they can reach. Capistrano is a good yellow for cooler regions but does pooly for me because we usually get many days of 90F +weather in Summer. It just doesn't like heat. I can only grow it in a shady spot where the roots are in complete shade and even then it needs excellent drainage and plenty of water.