This is a list of plants that gophers MAY not eat. It was compiled from various sources online (see sources at end) along with a few of my own observations and comments in parentheses. Please feel invited to share in the comments any experiences you’ve had that confirm or are contrary to this list. Which plants have gophers eaten or stayed away from in your garden? Your experiences may be helpful to other gardeners!
You also might like the blog posts on Gopher-Protected Raised Beds and Protecting Trees and Shrubs From Gophers.
- Amaryllis Belladonna
- Anemones
- Apricot (I would plant in basket)
- Artemisia
- Avocado (I would plant in basket)
- Borage
- Buddleia (mostly gophers leave it alone, but not always)
- Callistamon (I plant in baskets)
- Catnip (does well in our garden without gopher protection, but a reader says one of hers appears to have been eaten by gophers)
- Ceonothus
- Cistus, aka Rockrose (gophers don’t seem to bother)
- Citrus (ours failed to thrive until we planted in gopher-protected, raised beds)
- Cleome
- Columbine (but at least one report of gophers eating this)
- Coral bells (gophers don’t bother ours)
- Daffodils (but gophers push them to surface or move them deeper)
- Elderberries (they don’t seem to bother ours)
- Escallonia (I think ours gets gophered occasionally)
- Euphorbia
- Fern
- Fescue
- Foxglove
- Fuchsia
- Grevillia
- Japanese Maple (seems true, but I plant precious J.Maples in basket)
- Lantana
- Lavender (gophers don’t seem to bother ours; fingers crossed!)
- Michelia
- Mimulus
- Mulberry (might be true; ours doing well)
- Nandina
- Oleander
- Palm Trees
- Penstemon (ours does OK, but others say gophers eat)
- Periwinkle
- Plum (might be safe, but I plant all fruit trees in baskets)
- Pomegranate (might be safe, but I plant all fruit trees in baskets)
- Redwoods (seem safe)
- Rhaphiolepsis
- Ribes (seems true)
- Rosemary (most of the time)
- Salvias (some)
- Strawberry tree (most but not all of the time)
- Thyme
- Toyon
- Vitex (aka Arabian Lilac) possibly, but I put mine in baskets)
Sources
Read The Compulsive Gardener Blog here!
Some areas of my property are indisputably gopher country. Over the last eight years of battling them, I plant most items in gopher baskets. Last year was especially bad and I found they even ate iris tubers which are as toxic as daffodils. I’m sure they probably had an upset tummy but if they are hungry enough they will eat anything.
Thanks for this helpful experience from your garden Mary! Same here, I plant almost everything in a gopher basket. I just lost a mature cordyline where the basket rotted out. See my Mar 15, 2025 post for a photo if interested. I’m grateful you shared about iris. I was wondering about them and gophers. That syncs with my experience…iris are not preferred but they will munch them sometimes.
I had a catnip plant under a milk crate to keep cats from rolling on it. One day it disappeared without the milk crate being disturbed. I picture a drunk gopher.
Aw jeez! Another one! I will make a note about that. Most of our catnip plants do well without gopher baskets, but I’m glad to hear this important feedback from your garden. Thanks Barbara! Good luck with the gophers! -lisa