Deer can eat bamboo though it is not a plant they love. Often deer will not touch the bamboo if other plants are available.
Are you planning to grow bamboo and live in an area where deer are present?
In this article, you will learn about the types of bamboo a deer can or won’t eat. You will also learn the parts of bamboo a deer will eat and much more.
What parts of bamboo can deer eat?
Generally, deer aren’t picky eaters; anything within reach goes to them. However, they too have favorite plants and consequently plant parts.
Deer can eat the leaves, roots, and culm of bamboo.
Even so, they like the bamboo leaves compared to the other plant parts. The reason being the shoots are juicier and easier to digest. This instance also shows in Ranunculus, which is a thorny plant thus deer prefer eating juicy stems.
Is heavenly bamboo deer resistant?
Heavenly bamboo, scientific name Nandina Domestica. Nandina is a good-looking plant that will stay green throughout the year, uses little water, and is easy to manage.
The plant grows vibrant green stalks with elegant foliage, and during springtime, it produces creamy white flowers. No wonder some people call it the sacred bamboo.
Some of the common heavenly bamboo varieties include
- Nandina Blush
- Harbour Dwarf Nandina
- Nandina flirt
- Nandina Gulfstream
- Nandina Obsession
- Nandina filamentosa
- Compact nandina
In addition, sacred bamboo has been a favorite garden plant for a long time due to its aesthetic appeal.
You may be thinking that deer must love heavenly bamboo with all that praise. You’re mistaken; they don’t.
Yes, deer will eat heavenly bamboo but under rare circumstances. Nandina Domestica releases toxins, and it has a strong scent.
Deer don’t like plants that produce toxins or are hairy and dense, all of which are features of heavenly bamboo.
Nevertheless, biologists have stated that deer living in areas that have plenty of bamboo vegetation will, over time, develop a taste for it.
This means that your heavenly bamboo is not completely safe.
No need to despair. You can employ tips to lower or completely prevent deer from munching on your plant:
- Applying chemical repellants
- Fencing
- Motion sensing sprinkler systems
What species of bamboo can deer eat?
Earlier on, we learned that deer can eat bamboo. Below, you will look at the bamboo species a deer will eat and others that could be poisonous.
Bamboo varieties that deer can eat
| Species | Common Name |
| Bambusa balcooa | Female bamboo |
| Bambusa beecheyana | Beechey bamboo |
| Bambusa polymorpha | Burmese bamboo |
| Bambusa tulda | Bengal Bamboo |
| Thyrostacis siamensis | Monstery bamboo |
| Sasa Kurelensis | Chishima zasa |
| Phyllotaschys rubromarginata | Red margin bamboo |
| Phyllostachys nuda | Nude sheath bamboo |
| Phyllostachys decora | Beautiful bamboo |
| Phyllostachys edulis | Moso bamboo |
| Guadua sarcocarpa | Fleshy fruit guadua |
| Fargesia robusta | Umbrella bamboo |
| Gigantochloa atter | Giant Atter |
| Chimonocalamus delicatus | Aromatic bamboo |
| Chimonobambusa tumidissinoda | Walking stick bamboo |
| Fargesia robusta | Umbrella bamboo |
| Gigatochloa levis | Smooth shoot gigatochloa |
Bamboo varieties that a deer can’t eat
| Species | Common Name |
| Bambusa Blumeana | Thorny bamboo |
| Guadua Angustifolia | Colombian giant thorny |
| Phyllostachys aurea | Golden bamboo |
| Phyllostachys aureasulcata | Yellow groove bamboo |
| Phyllostachys bissetii | Bissetii |
| Phyllostachys nigra | Black bamboo |
| Phyllostachys rubromarginata | Red margin |
Please note that these lists are not comprehensive. Scientists are still conducting research.
Considering there are more than twelve hundred species of bamboo, there will be some changes on the respective lists.
Can baby deer eat bamboo?
For the first three to four months of their lives, fawns rely one hundred percent on their mother’s milk for survival.
Then, later on, they slowly graduate to eating plant twigs, leaves, and grasses. During this time, the baby deer will eat what its mother is eating.
However, like all babies, fawns are curious, so they can and will eat bamboo.
Considering a fawn’s teeth and digestive system aren’t fully developed, they will eat more of the softer parts of the bamboo.
Can all deer species eat bamboo?
Scientists are yet to compile a list of deer species that eat bamboo and those that do not.
Nevertheless, there are records of deer species that biologists have spotted and documented eating bamboo and some that they have not.
Deer species were spotted eating bamboo.
- Roe deer
- Reindeer
- Elk
- Moose
- Tufted deer
- Indian Muntjac
- Water deer
- Sambar deer
- Barasingha deer
- Taruca
Deer species biologists are yet to record eating bamboo
- Marsh deer
- Pudu
- Sika deer
- Red deer
What if deer eat bamboo?
Deer can comfortably eat bamboo, except for the poisonous bamboo species, which may lead to stomach problems.
Bamboo, especially the shoots, provides a wide range of nutrients for example
| Nutrient | Quantity per 100g |
| Amino Acids | 2.005 |
| Proteins | 4.04 |
| Carbohydrates | 2.30 |
| Fats | 0.250 |
| Potassium | 400mg |
As a form of adaptation to the hard environment that deer live in, they have developed hardy stomachs.
Deer’s tough stomachs are one of the primary reasons they can survive through tough winters.
When you add the nutritional benefits that bamboo provides, you can see that their stomachs will easily digest it.
Related: Do Deer Eat Soybeans?
Does clamping bamboo need a barrier?
Clumping bamboo doesn’t require much managing since they are predominantly self-containing.
The reason is that clumping bamboo constitutes a miniature structure that makes it hard for the plant to extend more than a few inches.
Over time, the plant produces clumps that will grow while new ones emerge. These emerging clumps will need from 1.5 to 10 feet to grow fully.
However, clamping bamboo may spread in some rare instances, and when it does, it grows rapidly.
Because of this, experts discourage planting clamping bamboo close to important structures like a driveway or a house.
When you notice that the clamping bamboo has started spreading, you must place a barrier.
A barrier is a product you can use during bamboo planting to avert the root rhizomes from spreading and damaging property.
To contain the clumping bamboo rhizomes, the barrier works as a blockade. Thus the roots won’t leave the designated area.
There are many bamboo barriers, but the plastic barrier is most commonly used.
To ensure your barrier works as intended then, you will need to
- Use a barrier with good thickness, at least 60 millimeters thick
- Place the barrier about 24 inches deep in the ground
Even if your clumping bamboo isn’t over-spreading, it is always good to pay close attention to any changes.
Once you notice the slightest form of invasion, you need to take action immediately before it is too late.
Michael is heavily inclined towards traveling to natural places and documenting cultures/people from different parts of the world. He also loves hiking and camping and is spirited toward all outdoor activities. He will share his passion for outdoor life and brands or products we use outside our homes. He has good research skills, and that’s why you can see why his articles are packed with info that is factual and not readily available. He also has the vision to travel the whole world and share it with all readers of Outdoor Favor.
