Why Rabbit Damage Is So Bad This Year

Apparently Everything Was on the Menu

Every spring we get questions about rabbit damage.

This year? We've had conversations about rabbit destruction.

If you've walked outside and discovered your shrubs look like they were pruned by an angry landscaper with no training, you're not alone. The rabbits were busy. And thanks to the amount of snow we had this winter, they weren't just chewing on the usual suspects near ground level.

They were standing on top of snowbanks and helping themselves to branches 3 to 4 feet off the ground. Plants that normally get ignored suddenly found themselves on the menu. Apparently the rabbits got together and decided dietary restrictions were optional this year.

 

Why Was Rabbit Damage So Much Worse This Winter?

A normal winter usually limits what rabbits can reach. This was not a normal winter. With deep snow covering the ground for extended periods, rabbits effectively got a free boost. Shrubs, young trees, and branches that would normally be safely above browsing height suddenly became accessible.

At the same time, food options were limited. When rabbits have plenty of choices, they tend to focus on their favourites. When food becomes scarce, they become much less selective. Think of it this way: Most people have favourite restaurants. That doesn't mean you're above eating gas station snacks when you're hungry enough. The rabbits reached that point sometime around January.

 

How To Tell If Rabbits Were Responsible

The damage is usually pretty easy to identify.

Look for:

• Cleanly clipped stems
• Sharp angled cuts
• Missing buds
• Bark stripped from trunks or branches
• Damage concentrated at a very specific height 

That last one has been especially common this year. Many homeowners are finding a perfectly healthy shrub up top, untouched growth at the very bottom, and a band of destruction right through the middle where the snow level sat for months.

It's almost impressive. Almost.

Will Your Plants Recover?

This is the question everyone asks next.

The answer depends entirely on what got eaten. Some plants are surprisingly resilient. Many herbaceous perennials will bounce back without much long-term damage. Things like, hostas, daylilies, bee balm and coneflowers are troupers. 

The rabbits may have chewed last year's growth, but the plant itself is still alive underground and ready to emerge.

 

Might Recover With Some Patience

Woody shrubs are a little less predictable. Plants such as lilacs, burning bush, hydrangeas, and ninebark can often recover, but it may take time for them to regain their shape. This is not the year to judge them. Give them a chance to leaf out before making any drastic decisions.

 

The Ones To Watch Closely

Young trees deserve a closer look. When rabbits strip bark from a trunk, they're not just affecting appearance. They're damaging the tree's transportation system. The bark layer helps move water and nutrients throughout the plant. If damage is limited, the tree can often recover. If the bark has been removed all the way around the trunk, however, the situation becomes much more serious. That's called girdling, and recovery becomes much less likely.

 

What Should You Do Right Now?

The biggest mistake people make is rushing outside with pruners. Take a breath. Let the plant show you what survived. Wait until you see where new growth is emerging before making major pruning decisions. Once growth starts

• Remove clearly dead branches
• Prune damaged stems back to healthy wood
• Apply compost around the root zone
• Water during dry periods 

Most importantly, give the plant time. A lot of things look worse in April than they actually are.

 

How To Protect Plants Next Winter

Now that we've all seen what a determined rabbit can accomplish, it's worth planning ahead. The most effective solutions are still the least exciting. Physical barriers: tree guards, hardware cloth, and fencing work. They're not beautiful. They're not Instagram-worthy. They are, however, dramatically more effective than wishful thinking.

 

Final Thoughts

Rabbit-resistant plants are still worth including in the landscape. Just remember: rabbit-resistant does not mean rabbit-proof. This winter proved that pretty clearly. When food becomes scarce enough, rabbits become remarkably open-minded.

If this winter taught us anything, it's that rabbits are far more adaptable than we give them credit for. They climbed higher. They ate more. They expanded their menu. And they left a lot of gardeners wondering what happened to plants that had been untouched for years.

So there you have it, before you start removing damaged plants, give them a chance to show signs of life. Many will recover better than you expect. And while the rabbits may have won a few battles this winter, there are plenty of ways to make next year much less enjoyable for them. 

Because if we learned anything this season, it's that once rabbits discover the buffet, they tend to come back for seconds.

Happy gardening!