You step outside to admire your blooming garden, only to find petals scattered and stems chewed. What animals eat flowers? More creatures than you might expect.
From deer browsing rose bushes to tiny beetles devouring dahlia petals, numerous animals view your flowering plants as an appealing food source.
Understanding which animals target flowers—and why they’re attracted to them—helps you protect your garden while appreciating the natural ecosystem around your home.
Deer
White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) rank among the most destructive flower consumers in residential gardens. These large herbivores browse on flowers, buds, and foliage, often decimating entire flower beds overnight.
You’ll notice deer damage by the ragged, torn appearance of stems and leaves. Unlike clean cuts from pruning shears, deer lack upper incisors and must tear vegetation, leaving frayed edges. They particularly favor roses, tulips, hostas, and daylilies, though hungry deer eat almost any flowering plant when food becomes scarce.
Key Insight: Deer feed primarily at dawn and dusk, which explains why you might miss seeing them despite extensive garden damage.
Deer consume flowers for several reasons. During spring and summer, flowers provide essential nutrients, minerals, and moisture. The high protein content in young blooms and buds supports antler growth in males and milk production in nursing does. Additionally, many flowers contain compounds that aid deer digestion.
Pro Tip: Install motion-activated sprinklers or use deer-resistant plants like lavender, salvia, and yarrow to minimize damage without harming wildlife.
Rabbits
Eastern cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus) create significant problems for flower gardeners. These prolific breeders multiply quickly, and a single rabbit family can consume substantial amounts of garden vegetation throughout the growing season.
Rabbit feeding patterns differ from deer. You’ll recognize rabbit damage by clean, angled cuts on stems about 1-2 inches from the ground. They nibble flowers down to short stubs and often eat entire blooms overnight. Petunias, pansies, impatiens, and young sunflowers attract rabbits consistently.
These small mammals target flowers because blooms provide easily digestible nutrients with high water content. During dry periods, succulent flower petals offer crucial hydration. The soft texture of petals requires less chewing effort compared to woody stems or tough grasses, making flowers an efficient food choice.
Common Mistake: Placing chicken wire flat on the ground doesn’t work—rabbits simply hop over barriers under 2 feet tall.
Squirrels
Gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) and fox squirrels (Sciurus niger) damage flowers differently than traditional herbivores. Rather than consuming entire blooms, squirrels often dig up bulbs, bite off flower heads, and scatter petals across your yard.
You’ll find evidence of squirrel activity through partially eaten tulip bulbs, severed flower heads lying on the ground, and small excavations around plants. They particularly target bulbs in fall and spring, treating them as nutritious food storage. Crocus, tulip, and lily bulbs face the highest risk.
Squirrels eat flowers and bulbs because these parts contain concentrated nutrients and carbohydrates. Bulbs serve as energy-dense food sources, especially valuable before winter or during breeding season. Some squirrels also consume flower petals for their moisture content during hot summer months.
Create physical barriers using hardware cloth buried 6-8 inches deep around valuable bulbs, or consider planting daffodils and alliums, which squirrels naturally avoid due to their toxicity.
Mice
Field mice (Peromyscus species) and voles (Microtus species) cause extensive but often unnoticed damage to flower gardens. These small rodents work primarily at night, consuming seeds, bulbs, roots, and occasionally flower petals.
Mice create tiny runway systems through mulch and groundcover, leading to damaged plants. You’ll notice small holes near plant bases, gnawed bulbs with pin-sized tooth marks, and tunneling damage beneath the soil surface. They favor flower seeds, particularly sunflower and zinnia seeds, along with crocus and tulip bulbs.
These rodents target flowers because seeds provide essential fats and proteins for survival, while bulbs offer carbohydrate-rich nutrition during scarce periods. The protected environment under mulch or snow allows mice to feed on buried bulbs throughout winter months.
Pro Tip: Remove heavy mulch layers near valuable plants and keep garden areas clean of debris that provides mouse shelter.
Groundhogs
Groundhogs (Marmota monax), also called woodchucks, consume impressive quantities of vegetation daily—up to 1.5 pounds per groundhog. These large rodents view flower gardens as convenient feeding stations near their burrow systems.
You’ll identify groundhog damage by complete plant removal, large bite marks on stems, and burrow entrances 10-12 inches in diameter nearby. They eat entire plants, including roots, and show particular preference for beans, peas, and flowering vegetables. Groundhogs also consume ornamental flowers like petunias, marigolds, and pansies.
Groundhogs choose flowers as part of their herbivorous diet for several reasons. Fresh flowers provide hydration, essential vitamins, and easily digestible nutrients. During spring emergence from hibernation, the high moisture content in flower petals helps rehydrate their bodies after months without eating or drinking.
Install fencing that extends 12 inches underground and 3-4 feet above ground, angled outward at the top to prevent climbing. Groundhogs excavate extensively, so buried fencing prevents tunneling underneath barriers.
Chipmunks
Eastern chipmunks (Tamias striatus) create frustration for gardeners through their seed-hoarding behavior and bulb consumption. These striped rodents stuff their expandable cheek pouches with seeds and plant materials, transporting food to underground storage chambers.
Chipmunk activity appears through scattered soil, small 2-inch burrow openings near plant roots, and missing flower heads. They harvest sunflower seeds before you can, dig up newly planted bulbs, and nibble on low-growing flower petals. Chipmunks particularly favor composite flowers like coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, and sunflowers.
Important Note: A single chipmunk’s burrow system can extend 20-30 feet, affecting numerous garden areas simultaneously.
These animals eat flower seeds and bulbs because they represent concentrated nutrition sources. Seeds contain high-fat content essential for winter survival, while bulbs provide carbohydrate energy. Chipmunks cache food during summer and fall, creating underground pantries that sustain them through periods of torpor.
Goats
Domestic goats (Capra aegagrus hircus) demonstrate indiscriminate eating habits, consuming nearly any plant material including flowers, shrubs, and trees. These ruminants often escape enclosures and quickly devastate ornamental gardens.
Goat damage appears dramatic and immediate. You’ll find stripped branches, completely consumed flower beds, and browse lines where goats ate everything within reach. They eat roses (thorns included), ornamental shrubs, fruit tree blossoms, and most garden flowers. Goats demonstrate particular fondness for rose blooms, hydrangeas, and flowering vines.
Goats consume flowers because their digestive systems efficiently process diverse plant materials. Flowers provide variety in their diet, delivering different nutrients than grasses and hay. The natural foraging instinct drives goats to sample many plant types, and the sweet taste of flower nectar appeals to their preferences.
| Plant Type | Goat Preference | Damage Level |
|---|---|---|
| Rose bushes | Very High | Complete removal |
| Flowering shrubs | High | Severe browsing |
| Annual flowers | High | Total consumption |
| Ornamental grasses | Medium | Moderate grazing |
Maintain secure fencing at least 4-5 feet high, as goats climb and jump effectively. Electric fencing provides additional deterrence for persistent escapees.
Cows
Cattle (Bos taurus) typically remain in pastures but occasionally access residential areas in rural locations. These large ruminants consume massive quantities of vegetation, including any flowers within reach.
Cow damage appears through trampled plants, completely grazed areas, and broken fences or gates. They eat wildflowers, garden borders near pastures, and ornamental plantings adjacent to grazing land. Cows show no particular selectivity—they consume available flowering plants as part of their general grazing behavior.
Common Mistake: Assuming cows only eat grass—they readily consume flowering forbs and browse on woody plants when grass becomes scarce.
Cattle eat flowers incidentally while grazing, as flowers grow among grasses in pastures and field edges. Certain flowers provide nutritional benefits, including minerals, vitamins, and protein that supplement grass-based diets. During drought conditions, flowers may retain more moisture than dried grasses, making them attractive food sources.
Horses
Horses (Equus caballus) possess selective eating preferences but will consume various flowers, especially when bored or if their regular feed lacks nutritional balance. These large herbivores can reach over fences to browse on garden plants.
You’ll recognize horse damage through cleanly bitten stems, disturbed soil from pawing, and browse lines along fence rows. Horses eat roses, hibiscus, dandelions, and many ornamental flowers. They particularly favor sweet-tasting blooms and may develop preferences for specific flower types.
Horses consume flowers for several reasons. Boredom drives browsing behavior, especially in horses confined to small paddocks. Nutritional deficiencies prompt horses to seek minerals and vitamins found in diverse plant materials. Some flowers simply taste appealing, and horses remember and return to favored plants.
Pro Tip: Plant butterfly bush, forsythia, and lilac near pastures—horses typically avoid these species due to their bitter compounds.
Sheep
Domestic sheep (Ovis aries) graze close to ground level, removing flowers, leaves, and stems with their specialized lips and teeth. These flock animals consume substantial quantities when they access garden areas.
Sheep damage manifests through extremely short vegetation, plants grazed to ground level, and wool snagged on fences or thorny plants. They eat clover flowers, dandelions, garden flowers near pastures, and ornamental plantings. Sheep show particular interest in legume flowers, which provide protein-rich nutrition.
These ruminants target flowers because many blooms offer higher protein content than mature grasses. Flowers growing in mixed pastures contribute dietary variety and essential nutrients. During lambing season, ewes require increased nutrition, making protein-rich flowers particularly valuable.
Create barriers using woven wire fencing at least 4 feet tall, as sheep push through or crawl under inadequate fencing. Sheep’s following behavior means one breach leads the entire flock into garden areas.
Insects
Multiple insect species consume flowers, with beetles, aphids, caterpillars, and grasshoppers creating the most significant damage. These invertebrates feed on petals, pollen, nectar, and flower structures.
Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica) skeletonize flower petals and leaves, leaving only veins behind. You’ll find them clustered on roses, zinnias, and many ornamental flowers during summer months. These metallic green beetles consume flowers because blooms provide easily accessible nutrition and attract them through floral scents.
Aphids pierce flower tissues and extract sap, causing distorted growth and reduced blooming. These tiny insects cluster on buds and young flowers, reproducing rapidly during warm weather. Aphids target flowers because the nutrient-rich sap supports their fast reproductive rates.
Caterpillars chew irregular holes in petals and may consume entire blooms. Various moth and butterfly larvae feed on flowers, with some species showing specific host plant preferences. They eat flowers during their growth phase, requiring substantial nutrition before pupation.
Grasshoppers create large, irregular holes in petals and often consume entire flower heads. During population booms, grasshoppers devastate gardens, eating nearly every green plant. These insects lack feeding specificity and simply consume available vegetation.
Effective Insect Management Strategies
- Hand-pick larger insects like beetles and caterpillars during morning hours when they’re less mobile
- Spray aphids off plants with strong water streams, repeating every 2-3 days
- Introduce beneficial insects including ladybugs, lacewings, and parasitic wasps
- Apply neem oil or insecticidal soap for severe infestations, following label directions carefully
- Remove heavily infested flowers to prevent pest population spread
Butterflies
Adult butterflies (Order Lepidoptera) don’t eat flowers in the traditional sense—they consume nectar through their proboscis, a straw-like feeding tube. However, their feeding behavior can damage delicate blooms and affects flower reproduction.
You’ll notice butterflies hovering around brightly colored, fragrant flowers during daylight hours. They particularly favor composite flowers like coneflowers, zinnias, lantana, and butterfly bush. Their long proboscis allows access to nectar deep within tubular flowers.
Butterflies seek flower nectar because it provides essential carbohydrates for energy and flight. The sugar-rich liquid fuels their active lifestyle and supports reproductive activities. Different butterfly species show preferences for specific flower colors and shapes based on their proboscis length and feeding adaptations.
Key Insight: While butterflies feed on nectar, their larvae (caterpillars) may consume flower petals and leaves, creating a dual relationship with flowering plants.
Encouraging butterfly visits benefits gardens through pollination, despite minor nectar removal. Plant diverse flower species that bloom sequentially, ensuring continuous nectar sources throughout the growing season.
Bees
Bees (superfamily Apoidea) collect both nectar and pollen from flowers, occasionally causing visible flower damage during foraging activities. These essential pollinators visit flowers constantly during warm weather.
You’ll observe various bee species working flowers: honeybees, bumblebees, carpenter bees, and numerous solitary bee species. They favor flowers with accessible pollen and nectar, including fruit tree blossoms, sunflowers, lavender, and many wildflowers. Some bee species, particularly carpenter bees, may chew into flower bases to access nectar, bypassing the normal entrance.
| Bee Type | Primary Collection | Flower Preference |
|---|---|---|
| Honeybees | Nectar and pollen | Wide variety, consistent sources |
| Bumblebees | Nectar and pollen | Deep tubular flowers |
| Carpenter bees | Nectar | Large, robust flowers |
| Mason bees | Pollen | Early spring blooms |
Bees harvest from flowers because nectar provides carbohydrate energy while pollen supplies essential proteins, lipids, and vitamins. Worker bees feed larvae with pollen, making flower visits crucial for colony survival. The mutualistic relationship benefits both bees and plants, as bees facilitate pollination while gathering food.
Pro Tip: Plant single-petaled flower varieties rather than double-petaled cultivars—single petals provide easier access to pollen and nectar for bee feeding.
Hummingbirds
Hummingbirds (family Trochilidae) rely almost exclusively on flower nectar for energy, supplementing their diet with tiny insects for protein. These remarkable birds visit hundreds of flowers daily to meet their high metabolic demands.
You’ll recognize hummingbird activity through their hovering behavior and preference for tubular, brightly colored flowers. They favor red, orange, and pink blooms including trumpet vine, bee balm, cardinal flower, and fuchsia. Their long, specialized bills and tongues allow access to nectar deep within tubular flowers.
Hummingbirds consume flower nectar because their extremely high metabolism—heart rates reaching 1,200 beats per minute during flight—requires constant energy intake. Nectar provides quick-absorbing sugars that fuel their incredible aerial maneuvers. These birds must consume roughly half their body weight in nectar daily to survive.
Attracting Hummingbirds Successfully
- Plant native flowering species that bloom throughout the growing season
- Choose tubular flowers in red, orange, and pink color ranges
- Avoid pesticides that eliminate the small insects hummingbirds need for protein
- Maintain consistent flower availability from early spring through fall migration
- Group similar flowers together to create visible feeding stations
Slugs
Slugs (various species) emerge at night and during rainy periods to feed on tender flower petals, leaving behind distinctive slime trails. These mollusks cause significant damage to low-growing flowers and newly opened blooms.
You’ll identify slug damage through irregular holes in petals, missing flower sections, and silvery mucus trails on leaves and soil. They particularly target hostas, dahlias, marigolds, petunias, and young seedlings. Slugs hide under debris, mulch, and containers during daylight hours.
Important Note: A single slug can consume several times its body weight in plant material nightly, and most garden slugs are hermaphrodites capable of self-fertilization, allowing rapid population growth.
Slugs feed on flowers because the tender, moisture-rich petals provide easy nutrition. Their rasping mouthparts, called radulae, work efficiently on soft tissue. The high water content in flowers helps maintain slug hydration. Additionally, flowers often grow in moist, shaded areas where slugs thrive.
Control slug populations through multiple methods: hand-pick slugs during evening hours, eliminate hiding spots by removing debris, create barriers using copper tape around valued plants, or set beer traps that attract and drown slugs.
Snails
Garden snails (Cornu aspersum and other species) share many characteristics with slugs but carry protective shells. These gastropods feed on flowers, creating similar damage patterns while moving more slowly due to their shell weight.
Snail activity appears through chewed petal edges, missing flower sections, slime trails, and the presence of shells near damaged plants. They consume hostas, hibiscus, tulips, and most tender annual flowers. Snails become particularly problematic in gardens with consistent moisture and organic debris.
These mollusks target flowers because petals offer easily digestible nutrition with minimal defensive compounds. The calcium in flowers supports shell growth and maintenance. Like slugs, snails feed primarily at night when humidity rises and predators are less active.
Common Mistake: Applying salt directly to snails seems effective but damages soil and plants—use targeted removal methods instead.
Manage snail populations by reducing habitat: eliminate rock piles, excess mulch, and dense groundcover where snails hide. Create physical barriers using crushed eggshells or diatomaceous earth around vulnerable plants. Encourage natural predators including ground beetles, birds, and garter snakes.
Tortoises
Various tortoise species (family Testudinidae) maintained as pets or living in wild populations consume flowers as part of their herbivorous diet. These reptiles show strong preferences for colorful, fragrant blooms.
You’ll notice tortoise feeding through missing flowers at ground level, stripped leaves near flower stems, and sometimes the tortoises themselves in your garden. They eat hibiscus, roses, dandelions, clover flowers, and nasturtiums. Tortoises demonstrate particular fondness for bright yellow and red flowers.
Tortoises consume flowers because blooms provide essential vitamins, minerals, and moisture. In natural habitats, seasonal flowers offer dietary variety and nutritional benefits unavailable in grasses and succulents. The bright colors attract tortoises visually, and many flowers contain beneficial compounds that support digestive health.
Safe Flowers for Pet Tortoises
- Hibiscus (flowers and leaves)
- Roses (remove thorns from stems)
- Dandelions (entire plant edible)
- Nasturtiums (flowers and leaves)
- Pansies (occasional treats)
- Geraniums (flowers only)
If you keep tortoises, plant separate “tortoise gardens” stocked with safe, nutritious flowers. This approach allows natural foraging behavior while protecting ornamental plantings.
Parrots
Various parrot species (order Psittaciformes), both wild populations in suitable climates and escaped pets, consume flowers, buds, seeds, and fruits. These intelligent birds cause substantial damage when they discover flowering plants.
Parrot damage appears through severed flower stems, scattered petals, and completely stripped flower heads. They eat sunflower heads, fruit tree blossoms, ornamental flower buds, and seeds from composite flowers. Parrots use their powerful beaks to access seeds within flowers, often destroying blooms in the process.
These birds target flowers primarily for seeds, which provide fat and protein essential to their diet. Flower buds contain concentrated nutrients, and some parrots consume petals for moisture and vitamins. Wild parrot species show seasonal movement patterns following flowering and fruiting cycles of native plants.
Protect valuable flowers using bird netting supported by frames that prevent parrots from landing on plants. Visual deterrents including reflective tape or predator decoys may provide temporary relief but require regular repositioning to maintain effectiveness.
Iguanas
Green iguanas (Iguana iguana) and related species inhabit warm climates across the Americas, consuming substantial quantities of flowers and foliage. These large lizards climb trees and shrubs to access blooms.
You’ll identify iguana damage through missing hibiscus flowers (their favorite), stripped ornamental plants, and the presence of large lizards in your landscape. They consume roses, orchids, bougainvillea, and various tropical flowering plants. Iguanas show strong color preferences, particularly favoring red, orange, and yellow flowers.
Pro Tip: In iguana-prone areas, plant species they typically avoid such as crotons, ixora, and most palms, which provide ornamental value without attracting these herbivorous reptiles.
Iguanas eat flowers because their strictly herbivorous diet includes leaves, flowers, and fruits. Blooms provide concentrated nutrition, hydration, and certain flowers contain beneficial plant compounds. Younger iguanas consume proportionally more flowers compared to adults, requiring higher protein content for growth.
Control strategies in iguana-heavy regions include physical barriers, professional removal services, and landscape modifications emphasizing plants iguanas naturally avoid. Never relocate iguanas without proper permits, as many jurisdictions regulate these actions.
