List of Deer Resistant or Deer Proof Trees

Deer damage to a young tree trunk and bark
Deer are often the cause of damage to trees by two ways, eating or rubbing or both. See the list of Deer Resistant Trees below that can withstand deer damage or they are trees the deer avoid altogether.
Damage to landscape trees has become an increasing issue because of rising deer population, and the spreading of suburban development into the deer's natural habitat. There are restrictions on deer hunting and there are decreasing amounts of natural predators that are partly the cause of these increased deer populations.
Gardeners and landscapers may have to consider different methods to prevent deer damage. One solution is to use deer resistant trees, or deer proof trees. There are very few trees that are entirely deer resistant. However, some trees are less attractive to deer than others. One of the other best prevention methods against deer damage is a fence, however this may be impractical in some situations. There are plenty of deer repelling products available also.
The most aesthetically pleasing way to combat the deer damage problem is to landscape with deer resistant plants. There are several reasons a plant can be deer resistant. Many plants are poisonous at some point during their growth stage, and some of the most deer resistant are poisonous at all times. The taste and digestibility also vary with plant age, growth stage and time of year.
When planning landscapes with trees, perennials and ornamental trees, it is important to research their attractiveness to deer in order to avoid browsing damage when the cold season arrives. Note; A list of deer resistant Shrubs is here.
List of deer resistant trees, sorted by common name
| Common Tree Name | Latin Botanical Tree Name |
|---|---|
| Allegheny Serviceberry | Amelanchier laevis |
| American Holly | Ilex opaca |
| Aquipernyi Holly | Ilex x aquipernyi |
| Arizona Ash | Fraxinus velutina |
| Austrian Pine | Pinus nigra |
| Bald Cypress | Taxodium distichum |
| Black Locust | Robinia pseudoacacia |
| Brush Cherry | Syzygium paniculatum |
| California Wax Myrtle | Myrica californica |
| Canada Hemlock | Tsuga canadensis |
| Catalina Ironwood | Lyonothamnus floribundus |
| Chinaberry Tree | Melia azedarach |
| Chinese Fringe Tree | Chionanthus retusus |
| Chinese Paper Birch | Betula albo-sinensis |
| Colorado Blue Spruce | Picea pungens |
| Common Flowering Quince | Chaenomeles speciosa |
| Common Sassafras | Sassafras albidurn |
| Corkscrew Willow | Salix matsudana tortuosa |
| Date Palm | Phoenix dactylifera |
| Dawn Redwood | Metasequoia glyptostroboides |
| Deodar Cedar | Cedrus deodara |
| Douglas Fir | Pseudotsuga menziesii |
| Downy Serviceberry | Amelanchier arborea |
| Dracaena Palm | Cordyline australis |
| Dwarf Alberta Spruce | Picea glauca 'Conica' |
| Eastern Red Cedar | Juniperus virginiana |
| Eastern White Pine | Pinus strobus |
| Edible Fig | Ficus carica |
| English Hawthorn | Crataegus laevigata |
| European Ash | Fraxinus excelsior |
| European Beech | Fagus sylvatica |
| European White Birch | Betula pendula |
| False Cypress | Chamaecyparis obtusa |
| Fig | Ficus |
| Fir | Abies |
| Flameleaf Sumac | Rhus lanceolata |
| Flowering Dogwood | Cornus florida |
| Ginkgo | Ginkgo biloba |
| Goldenrain Tree | Koelreuteria paniculata |
| Gordonia | Gordonia lisianthus |
| Green Ash | Fraxinus pennsylvanica |
| Hawthorn | Crataegus |
| Heritage Birch | Betula nigra 'Heritage' |
| Himalayan Birch | Betula jacquemontii |
| Himalayan Dogwood | Cornus capitata |
| Honey Locust | Gleditsia triacanthos |
| Japanese Black Pine | Pinus thunbergiana |
| Japanese Cedar | Cryptomeria japonica |
| Japanese Falsecypress | Chamaecyparis pisifera |
| Japanese Flowering Cherry | Prunus serrulata |
| Japanese Maple | Acer palmatum |
| Japanese Red Pine | Pinus densiflora |
| Katsura Tree | Cercidiphyllum japonicum |
| Kousa Dogwood | Cornus kousa |
| Leyland Cypress | Cupressocyparis x leylandii |
| Mescal Bean | Sophora secundiflora |
| Mexican Blue Palm | Erythea armata |
| Mimosa | Albizia julibrissin |
| Norway Maple | Acer platanoides |
| Norway Spruce | Picea abies |
| Paper Birch | Betula papyrifera |
| Paperbark Maple | Acer griseurn |
| Pawpaw | Asimina triloba |
| Persimmon | Diospyros virginiana |
| Pine | Pinus |
| Pitch Pine | Pinus rigida |
| Ponytail Palm | Beaucarnea recurvata |
| Red Maple | Acer rubrum |
| Red Pine | Pinus resinosa |
| River Birch | Betula nigra |
| Roughleaf Dogwood | Cornus drummondii |
| Ruby Horsechestnut | Aesculus x carnea |
| Russian Olive | Elaeagnus angustifolia |
| Scotch Pine | Pinus sylvestris |
| Serbian Spruce | Picea omorika |
| Shadbush | Amelanchier canadensis |
| Silver Maple | Acer saccharinum |
| Soapbark Tree | Quillaja saponaria |
| Sourwood | Oxydendrum arboreum |
| Southern Magnolia | Magnolia grandiflora |
| Spruce | Picea |
| Striped Maple | Acer pensylvanicum |
| Sugar Maple | Acer saccharum |
| Sweetgum | Liquidambar styraciflua |
| Texas Persimmon | Diospyros texana |
| Tulip Tree | Liriodendron tulipifera |
| White Spruce | Picea glauca |
| Windmill Palm | Trachycarpus fortunei |
| Yellow Birch | Betula lutea |
Note; A list of deer resistant Shrubs is here.
