12 Beautiful Annual Flowers That Rabbits Won’t Touch

If you’re a gardener, there’s nothing worse than spending time and money on beautiful flowers that get eaten by rabbits the next morning. After years of trying different things in my garden, I’ve found that some annual flowers keep rabbits away, while others are like an open-air salad bar.

Based on my personal experience here are 12 beautiful annual flowers that rabbits avoid

1. Alyssum

Alyssum produces masses of tiny fragrant flowers in white, pink, purple or yellow from early summer well into fall The fuzzy texture and pungent aroma of both the blooms and foliage seem to turn rabbits away Alyssum thrives in full sun to partial shade and is drought tolerant once established. Use it as an edging plant or in containers.

2. Zinnias

Bold, colorful zinnia blooms attract butterflies but repel rabbits. The stiff stems and coarse leaves are unappealing. Zinnias will bloom most if you plant them somewhere sunny with soil that doesn’t stay soggy. Deadhead spent blooms to encourage continuous flowering. Great for cut flower bouquets.

3. Marigolds

With their pungent scent, marigolds tend to deter rabbits from nibbling. Available in a rainbow of sunny colors like yellow, gold, orange and red. Marigolds are easy to grow, tolerate poor soils and bloom profusely. Plant in beds, borders or containers.

4. Cleome

Clome has spidery blooms that rabbits stay away from. It is also known as spider flower. The tall plants have prickly stems with pink, purple, or white flowers on top of them. Cleome does best in full sun and can handle heat and drought very well. Give it room to spread in the garden.

5. Snapdragon

Rabbits don’t like snapdragons because they have rough stems and thick leaves. These annuals do well in cool weather and are easy to take care of. They bloom in white, pink, red, yellow, and orange, among other colors. Slippery elm can be grown in pots or in flower beds.

6. Petunias

Petunias are prolific bloomers that rabbits tend to leave alone. Trumpet-shaped single or double blooms come in all colors and patterns. Give them full sun and well-drained soil. Use in beds, borders, hanging baskets and container gardens.

7. Verbena

Tough, heat-loving verbenas are mostly avoided by rabbits. They produce clusters of small flowers in shades of red, pink, purple, white or blue all season long. Verbenas spread nicely on the ground or cascade beautifully in containers and hanging baskets.

8. Salvia

With their intense aroma and nectar-rich blooms that attract hummingbirds, salvias of all varieties seem to deter rabbits. Available in a rainbow of colors including red, purple, pink, white and blue. Give salvias full sun and well-drained soil.

9. Cosmos

The ferny, hairy foliage of cosmos is unappealing to rabbits. Cosmos thrives in full sun and average soil. It comes in bright colors like pink, purple, orange, red and white. Blooms make great cut flowers. Plant cosmos in informal cottage gardens.

10. Lantana

Lantana’s rough, pungent foliage keeps rabbits at bay. Plus, butterflies love the colorful clusters of blooms. Lantana does well in poor, dry soil and hot sun. Use in beds, borders, containers or hanging baskets for non-stop color.

11. Nasturtiums

With their trailing habit and pungent waterlily-like foliage, nasturtiums are typically left alone by rabbits. The edible flowers come in warm colors like red, yellow, orange, pink and peach. Plant nasturtiums in full sun to partial shade.

12. Dianthus

Member of the carnation family, dianthus produces flowers that resemble tiny carnations or pinks in white, pink, red and purple. The blue-green grassy foliage is unappetizing to rabbits. Use dianthus in rock gardens, borders, pots and cottage gardens.

While no plant is 100% rabbit-proof, sticking to annuals with strong scents, fuzzy or prickly textures, and bold colors gives you the best chance of foiling the bunnies. Mix these unfavorable flowers together and plant densely to discourage nibbling. Determined rabbits will eat anything when hungry enough, so protect new plantings with fencing until established. But planting primarily annual flowers that rabbits avoid will let your garden flourish, not become an all-night bunny buffet. With smart plant selection and vigilant protection, you can happily share your garden with Peter Rabbit!