Rabbit-resistant plants

Introduction

Rabbits tend to be inquisitive feeders and are often attracted to new plantings, so some protective netting is advisable until the plants are established.

Practical considerations

Where feasible, rabbit-proof fencing can be installed arouind the garden to exclude rabbits.

Suitable plants

Soft wooded

• Acanthus species (bear's breeches)
• Aconitum species (monkshood)
• Agapanthus (African lily)
• Ajuga reptans (bugle)
• Alchemilla mollis (lady's mantle)
• Allium (ornamental onions)
• Alstroemeria (Peruvian lily)
• Anaphalis
• Anchusa azurea
• Anemone coronaria
• Anemone hupehensis & A. × hybrida (Japanese anemones)
• Antirrhinum (snapdragon)
• Aquilegia (columbine)
• Artichoke, globe and Jerusalem
• Aster novae-angliae (Michaelmas daisy)
• Aster novi-belgii (Michaelmas daisy)
• Astilbe
• Bergenia species (elephant's ears)
• Brunnera macrophylla
• Chionodoxa luciliae (glory of the snow)
• Colchicum (autumn crocus)
• Convallaria majalis (lily of the valley)
• Cortaderia selloana (pampas grass)
• Corydalis
• Crinum 
• Crocosmia
• Cyclamen species (hardy cyclamen)
• Dahlia (dahlias)
• Digitalis (foxgloves)
• Doronicum (leopard's bane)
• Echinops (globe thistle)
• Epimedium
• Eranthis hyemalis (winter aconite)
• Eremurus (foxtail lily)
• Eryngium agavifolium (sea holly)
• Erythronium dens-canis (dog's tooth violet)
• Eschscholzia californica (California poppy)
• Eupatorium cannabinum (hemp agrimony)
• Euphorbia (spurges)
• Fritillaria (fritillaries)
• Galanthus nivalis (snowdrop)
• Gentiana asclepiadea (willow gentian)
• Helenium autumnale
• Helianthus (sunflowers)
• Helleborus (not H. niger ) (hellebore)
• Hemerocallis (day lily)
• Heuchera sanguinea (coral flower)
• Hyacinthoides non-scripta (bluebell)
• Impatiens (busy Lizzie)
• Iris (irises)
• Kniphofia (red hot poker)
• Lamium (dead nettles)
• Lavatera trimestris
• Leucojum (snowflakes)
• Linum perenne (flax)
• Liriope muscari
• Lupinus (lupins)
• Lychnis 
• Lysimachia clethroides
• Macleaya cordata
• Malva moschata (musk mallow)
• Melissa officinalis (bee balm)
• Mentha (mints)
• Miscanthus sinensis
• Muscari (grape hyacinth)
• Myosotis (forget-me-not)
• Narcissus (daffodil)
• Nepeta × faassenii (catmint)
• Nicotiana alata
• Orchids, hardy 
• Origanum vulgare (marjoram)
• Paeonia (peonies)
• Papaver somniferum (opium poppy)
• Petasites fragrans (winter heliotrope)
• Phormium tenax (New Zealand flax)
• Phytolacca (poke weed)
• Polemonium (Jacob's ladder)
• Polygonatum × hybridum (Solomon's seal)
• Polygonum
• Potato
• Primula vulgaris (primrose)
• Pulmonaria spp. (lungwort)
• Rhubarb
• Salvia × superba
• Saxifraga × urbium (London pride)
• Schizostylis coccinea
• Sedum spectabile (ice plant)
• Senecio cineraria (sea ragwort)
• Stachys byzantina (lamb's ears)
• Tagetes erecta (African marigold)
• Tagetes patula (French marigold)
• Tradescantia virginiana
• Trillium grandiflorum (wake robin)
• Tritonia crocata
• Trollius europaeus (globe flower)
• Tulipa (tulips)
• Verbascum thapsus (mullein)
• Verbena
• Viola odorata (violet)
• Xerochrysum bracteatum (everlasting flower)
• Zinnia elegans 

Trees and shrubs

• Alnus (alder)
• Araucaria araucana (monkey puzzle tree)
• Arbutus menziesii
• Arbutus unedo (strawberry tree)
• Arundinaria (bamboo)
• Aucuba japonica (spotted laurel)
• Berberis (barberry)
• Betula (birch)
• Buddleja davidii (butterfly bush)
• Buxus sempervirens (box)
• Ceanothus
• Chimonanthus praecox (winter sweet)
• Choisya ternata (Mexican orange)
• Cistus
• Clematis
• Cornus sanguinea (dogwood)
• Cryptomeria japonica (Japanese cedar)
• Cytisus (broom)
• Daphne laureola (spurge laurel)
• Daphne mezereum (mezereum)
• Deutzia scabra
• Elaeagnus pungens 'Maculata'
• Escallonia
• Eucalyptus (gum tree)
• Euonymus europaeus (spindle tree)
• Euonymus latifolius
• Fatsia japonica
• Fuchsia - hardy types
• Gaultheria mucronata
• Gaultheria shallon
• Hippophae rhamnoides (sea buckthorn)
• Hydrangea
• Hypericum calycinum (rose of Sharon)
• Kalmia latifolia (calico bush)
• Laburnum
• Laurus nobilis (bay tree)
• Lavatera cvs. (tree mallow)
• Ligustrum ovalifolium (privet)
• Lonicera (honeysuckle)
• Olearia × haastii
• Paeonia (peonies - 'tree' types)
• Philadelphus spp. (mock orange)
• Pinus nigra (Corsican pine)
• Poncirus trifoliata (Japanese bitter orange)
• Prunus laurocerasus (cherry laurel)
• Prunus (cherries)
• Rhododendron spp. including azaleas
• Rhus typhina (sumach)
• Ribes (currant - fruiting and ornamental types)
• Rosa (spiny species roses, not hybrid teas)
• Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary)
• Ruscus aculeatus (butcher's broom)
• Ruta graveolens (rue)
• Sambucus (elder)
• Sarcococca (winter box)
• Skimmia japonica
• Symphoricarpos albus (snowberry)
• Syringa vulgaris (lilac)
• Viburnum opulus (snowball bush, guelder rose)
• Viburnum tinus (laurus tinus)
• Vinca (periwinkle)
• Weigela hybrids
• Yucca