Deer-Resistant Trees

Careful tree selection and tree removal may be the best way to keep deer off of your property this spring. Planting trees and shrubs in one's yard is both a challenging and satisfying experience. The beautiful scenery, natural appeal, and environmental benefit that trees afford makes the work and cost of gardening worthwhile, but trees often invite unwanted guests who use them as nesting material, infest their trunks and fruit, or eat leaves and branches. In wooded areas, deer are an enormous problem for tree enthusiasts. Due to a rising deer population in wooded areas and the simultaneous spread of suburban housing developments into the deer's natural habitat, deer populations are consistently causing damage to suburban trees by eating or rubbing their antlers against them. Restrictions on deer hunting and a decreasing population of natural predators also mean that deer populations are rising. There are a number of ways to "deer-proof" one's property – some more practical than others. Fences are the only secure way to keep deer off the property, but fencing can be expensive and unattractive. Homeowners may also not like the feeling of separating their yard from the woods. Tying streamers or cloth strips to trees and shrubs can be an effective way to keep deer from eating those plants, but streamers can blow away or become detached easily – and they may not even keep deer at bay at all. One of the best ways is to plant species of tree that are resistant to deer. Choosing trees that deer tend not to eat or disturb is both healthier for the environment and less expensive to a budget-minded homeowner.Some varieties of tree may be deer-resistant because they are or were poisonous or because they are difficult to digest. These varieties include several species of birch, pine, spruce trees, red maple trees, fig trees, and fir trees. A certified arborist can help homeowners select the right kinds of trees for their property.