Deer-Resistant Trees

Most established trees outgrow deer, but young trunks and low branches are vulnerable. These trees are rated A or B for deer resistance. All 52 are listed below, with hardiness zones.

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PlantBotanical nameType / zonesDeer rating
Allegheny Serviceberry 🦌Amelanchier laevisTreesZ4–8B Seldom damaged
American Holly 🦌Ilex opacaTreesZ5–9A Rarely damaged
Austrian Pine 🦌Pinus nigraTreesZ4–7B Seldom damaged
Bottlebrush Buckeye 🦌Aesculus parvifloraTreesZ4–8A Rarely damaged
Chinese Fringe Tree 🦌Chionanthus retususTreesZ5–8B Seldom damaged
Chinese Paper Birch 🦌Betula albo-sinensisTreesZ5–7B Seldom damaged
Colorado Blue Spruce 🦌Picea pungensTreesZ2–7B Seldom damaged
Common Flowering Quince 🦌Chaenomeles speciosaTreesZ4–8B Seldom damaged
Common Sassafras 🦌Sassafras albidurnTreesZ4–9B Seldom damaged
Corkscrew Willow 🦌Salix matsudana tortuosaTreesZ4–8B Seldom damaged
Dawn Redwood 🦌Metasequoia glyptostroboidesTreesZ4–8B Seldom damaged
Douglas Fir 🦌Pseudotsuga menziesiiTreesZ4–6B Seldom damaged
Downy Serviceberry 🦌Amelanchier arboreaTreesZ4–9B Seldom damaged
Dragon Lady, San Jose Holly 🦌Ilex x aquipernyiTreesZ6–9B Seldom damaged
Dwarf Alberta Spruce 🦌Picea glauca 'Conica'TreesZ2–8A Rarely damaged
Eastern Red Cedar 🦌Juniperus virginianaTreesZ2–9B Seldom damaged
Eastern White Pine 🦌Pinus strobusTreesZ3–8B Seldom damaged
English Hawthorn 🦌Crataegus laevigataTreesZ4–7B Seldom damaged
European Ash 🦌Fraxinus excelsiorTreesZ4–7B Seldom damaged
European Beech 🦌Fagus sylvaticaTreesZ4–7B Seldom damaged
European White Birch 🦌Betula pendulaTreesZ2–7B Seldom damaged
Goldenrain Tree 🦌Koelreuteria paniculataTreesZ5–9B Seldom damaged
Green Ash 🦌Fraximus pennsylvanicaTreesZ3–9B Seldom damaged
Himalayan Birch 🦌Betula jacquemontiiTreesZ4–7B Seldom damaged
Honey Locust 🦌Gleditsia triacanthosTreesZ3–9B Seldom damaged
Japanese Black Pine 🦌Pinus thunbergianaTreesZ5–8A Rarely damaged
Japanese Cedar 🦌Cryptomeria japonicaTreesZ5–9B Seldom damaged
Japanese Falsecypress 🦌Chamaecyparis pisiferaTreesZ4–8B Seldom damaged
Japanese Flowering Cherry 🦌Prunus serrulataTreesZ5–8B Seldom damaged
Japanese Maple 🦌Acer palmatumTreesZ5–8B Seldom damaged
Japanese Red Pine 🦌Pinus densifloraTreesZ4–7B Seldom damaged
Katsura Tree 🦌Cercidiphyllum japonicumTreesZ4–8A Rarely damaged
Kousa Dogwood 🦌Cornus kousaTreesZ5–8B Seldom damaged
Mimosa 🦌Albizia julibrissinTreesZ6–9A Rarely damaged
Norway Spruce 🦌Picea abiesTreesZ2–7B Seldom damaged
Paper Birch 🦌Betula papyriferaTreesZ2–7A Rarely damaged
Paperbark Maple 🦌Acer griseurnTreesZ4–8B Seldom damaged
Pawpaw 🦌Asimina trilobaTreesZ5–9A Rarely damaged
Pitch Pine 🦌Pinus rigidaTreesZ4–7A Rarely damaged
Red Maple 🦌Acer rubrumTreesZ3–9B Seldom damaged
Red Pine 🦌Pinus resinosaTreesZ2–5A Rarely damaged
River Birch 🦌Betula nigraTreesZ4–9A Rarely damaged
Ruby Horsechestnut 🦌Aesculus x carneaTreesZ4–8B Seldom damaged
Scotch Pine 🦌Pinus sylvestrisTreesZ3–7B Seldom damaged
Serbian Spruce 🦌Picea omorikaTreesZ4–7B Seldom damaged
Shadbush 🦌Amelanchier canadensisTreesZ3–7B Seldom damaged
Sourwood 🦌Oxydendrum arboreumTreesZ5–9B Seldom damaged
Striped Maple 🦌Acer pensylvanicumTreesZ3–7B Seldom damaged
Sugar Maple 🦌Acer saccharumTreesZ3–8B Seldom damaged
Tulip Tree 🦌Liriodendron tulipiferaTreesZ4–9B Seldom damaged
White Spruce 🦌Picea glaucaTreesZ2–6B Seldom damaged
Yellow Birch 🦌Betula luteaTreesZ3–7B Seldom damaged

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