I want to plant some Berzerkeley salvia's but I'm afraid that with the deer in our area they wouldn't have a chance because deer seem to like most salvia's.....
Is this true also of the Berzerkeley?

Sincerely

Dan

Hi Daniel, Welcome to ATP!

I don't grow Baby Sage (Salvia microphylla 'Berzerkeley') so I can't help much. There is growing information in the ATP database (highlighted link above) but nothing that says deer resistant. I have a feeling the deer would like Berzerkeley as much as other salvias. Maybe someone who has experience with this cultivar will pop in soon with some advice.

Again, I hope you take time to browse some of the forums here at ATP. Pop in and introduce yourself; we have some very knowledgeable members always willing to answer questions and help when possible.

Lin

My experience with deer has always been the opposite, that salvias are generally ignored by deer.

Same here in NC, Dave. Hundreds of deer around here but Salvia has been safe, from the regular culinary sage (S. officianalis) to ornamental Salvias like Meadow Sage. Photo of "Hot Lips" was taken a week ago and the deer have bypassed it for months. I'm happy about that!

Daniel, welcome to ATP! I wonder if in your area there is sparse vegetation and the deer can't be picky.

Shoe

When I lived in Oregon, the ONLY thing the deer didn't munch was my red Salvia.

I've grown a lot of Salvias from the annual types, to the tender perennial ones to the hardy ones over many years and I've never had a deer munch on any of them.

The wild rabbits will however, sometimes munch on a small newly planted Salvia, but will stop after the Salvia gets larger and gets more of its 'Salvia scent' and that will then, keep the rabbits from munching anymore.

Welcome to ATP!

Marilyn

"'Salvia scent' and that will then, keep the rabbits from munching "

Hmmm, sounds like it might be worthwhile to make a Salvia tea and spray it on rabbit-susceptible plants, Marilyn! Might be worth a try!

Shoe (hopefully planting another "Hot Lips" today in a recently cleaned up flower bed)

>> The wild rabbits will however, sometimes munch on a small newly planted Salvia, but will stop after the Salvia gets larger and gets more of its 'Salvia scent'

Thanks for confirming that I was not crazy when I saw slugs DEVOUR every Delphinium seedling rtight down to the ground, heavily damage young Delphinium plants, and AVOID adult Delphiniums.

Daniel - I agree with the others who haven't had deer problems with any salvia. It is totally ignored by the marauding deer. They also avoid coleus

Thanks all for your opinions but here in northern Ca. in summer and fall the pickings are slim for deer and they will taste anything and eat plants that are very deer resistant but not every plant that grows, those are the ones I need as I have a few but the bucks go into a "RUT" in the fall and what they don't eat they destroy with their antlers, I guess marking their territory from other bucks.... I'm gonna try saturating the yard and most plants with "Liquid Fence" and see if that helps but the problem with that is I believe it washes off in the rain so I will be spending quite a bit of money and time on it....

Wish me luck LOL LOL

We need a "Rent a Coyote" business.

FeatherRiverDan, Liquid Fence hangs on even after rains. You'll need to spray it on a nice dry day when there won't be any chance of rain for a day or so. Once it is on the plants it'll be noticeable to the deer but not to you. And trust me, it'll stink to high heaven the first day you spray it!

It's lasted me for 5 or 6 weeks at a time before I've had to respray it. Hope it works well for you, too.

Shoe