15 Best Deer-Resistant Landscape Trees for Your Yard

There is no surefire way to rid your garden of the possibility of a deer buffet.

As the evening falls, the four-legged rats – *ahem, cough, cough* – majestic creatures leave their shelters and search for food, and many times your garden or landscape looks like a drive-through fast food joint to them.

There are many repellents out there, or home remedies, but many times they don’t work or don’t work well.

While there aren’t many truly deer-resistant plants out there, there are a few varieties that they would rather not eat.

We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.

Deer have favorites when it comes to the vegetation on which they like to browse. And they prefer tender new growth and foliage. Young landscape trees that are well fertilized will generally have lots of new, juicy growth, making them a tempting target.

Having said that, consider protecting any new saplings or transplants with temporary fencing to keep curious nibbling wildlife at bay – better safe than sorry!

This isn’t a complete list by any means, but it’s a good start if you are looking for specimen pieces for your landscape and would rather not see them trampled to death or foraged on mid-season.

Deer dislike the taste and feeling of evergreens. It’s a combination of flavor and the sharp, unpleasant sensation of irritating needles on their tongues that keeps them away.

Other times, the pungent scent of certain plants makes deer think twice before chomping down. In general, if a tree or shrub feels or smells unpleasant to us, it’s doubly offensive to deer.

So, what’s not on the menu? Time to find the perfect option for your USDA Hardiness Zone