We accept --

Deer are especially attracted to younger trees (saplings) which makes planting larger trees a wiser investment. This list relates our observations and experiences with large trees only! We must advise that in times of stress, deer will forage on any plant material. Stress can be created by encroachment on deer grazing grounds (such as overdevelopment of an area), drought, severe winters. Also, deer display microcultural behaviors where in certain areas, deer will choose to eat plants which deer in other areas leave alone. We also recommend, if your property is large enough, that you 'feed' the deer to keep them away from trees and shrubs you want to preserve. This can be accomplished by placing a foraging plot near their trail (look for their hoof marks). Your foraging plot should contain some of the most delectable deer food, we recommend small Arborvitae as an inexpensive deer 'food'. Deer must eat 5 - 9 pounds of food per 100 pounds of their weight per day to survive. That is alot of plant material.

FYI: We have tried out different deer deterrent sprays. These are not a permanent fix, the sprays are usually only effective for a month or two, if that, due to rainfall, and sometimes deer, when they are hungry, will consume sprayed food regardless. People have tried 'organic' treatments such as sprays containing black pepper and raw eggs, or hanging bars of deodorant soap from tree branches with differing levels of success.

Also, keep in mind that deer will also mark territory and damage trees not on their grazing 'menu'. Plus, deer will eat 'browse' material, meaning ends of twigs or small branches of trees that they do not normally choose to consume, this happens in the Fall, generally damage is minimal or doesn't affect the plant at all. Deer behavior is capricious. You might have enjoyed a particular tree or shrub which the deer have left alone for years, only to wake up, look out a window and see that the deer have totally decimated the tree overnite.

This is not a comprehensive list, but a list of large trees which Greenwoods features for planting.

• Amelanchier :: Serviceberry - Shadblow Features fair deer resistance.
• Apple :: Fruit-bearing Apple Orchard Trees Will eat the apples, on younger trees will strip the bark, on mature orchard sized apple trees, will usually leave the bark alone and only eat the apples.
• Beech :: American Beech - Copper Beech - Riversii - Weeping European Beech We have seen Beech trees on lists of deer resistance and conversely on lists of trees deer will eat. In our observation we have not noted deer damage or foraging.
• Cedars :: Only Western Red Cedars are deer resistant, but few growers have started to cultivate and grow larger stock.
• Cherries :: Ornamental cherries create deer attraction.
• Crabapple :: Sargentii ** - Tschonoskii - Weeping Candied Red - Zumi** - Snowdrift** Deer will eat crabapples and strip bark of younger trees, tend to leave older mature trees alone, though will still eat the crabapples. Note that apple trees and crabapple trees, when the fruit has emerged, the odor of the fruit will draw trees to your property.
• Cryptomeria :: Sekkan Sugi The Japanese Cedar a/k/a Crytpomeria features fair deer resistance.
• Cypress :: Japanese Golden Sawara Falsecypress The Falsecypress features fair deer resistance.
• Dawn Redwood The Dawn Redwood features fair deer resistance.
• Dogwood :: American Dogwood - Pink Dogwood - White Dogwood - Kousa Dogwood Deer will nibble on younger Dogwoods, but tend to leave mature Dogwoods alone. They will browse twigs in Fall perhaps if there is no other material in the area to attract their interest. They tend to ignore the Kousa Dogwoods.
• Eastern Redbud This tree is more popular in the Midwest and makes more native appearances there as well. It is known to experience deer damage, but we have not observed this in our nursery or at any of the locations where we have planted Redbuds. However, to be conservative, it is not recommended to plant in areas where deer are known to graze.
• Elm :: Chinese Elm - Hybrid American Elm :: Pioneer Elm - Homestead Elm Deer love new American Elm shoots and/or to strip very young trees. As long as you protect the new shoots on large trees, you should not experience issues. Deer tend to avoid the Chinese Elms.
• Gingko The Gingko features fair deer resistance.
• Hemlock (Pennsylvania state tree) Deer will eat Hemlock needles, especially in the Fall, to try to add weight before Winter or in the Winter to try to maintain weight.
• Holly :: American Holly and cultivars Deer do not like American Hollies in general, due to the pointy leaves. However, they will graze on Nellie Stevens Hollies plus some of the Japanese or Chinese Holly varieties.
• Honeylocust (thornless and podless available) The Honeylocust features fair deer resistance.
• Hornbeam :: American Hornbeam - Fastigiate European Hornbeam The Hornbeam features fair deer resistance.
• Katsuratree The Katsura features fair deer resistance.
• Kentucky Coffeetree The Coffeetree features fair deer resistance.
• Linden :: Greenspire Linden - Littleleaf Linden Deer are attracted to Linden.
• London Planetree The London Planetree features fair deer resistance.
• Magnolia :: Pink Saucer Magnolia - Star Magnolia - Sweetbay Magnolia We have not noted that deer impact these trees. However, in some literature, the Pink Saucer Magnolia has been noted as experiencing deer damage.

• Japanese Maple (different types and leaf colors)
• Norway Maple
• Crimson King Maple
• Paperbark Maple **
• Red Maple
• October Glory Maple
• Red Sunset Maple
• Sugar Maple (New York State Tree)
• Armstrong Maple
• Hedge Maple ...

• Chestnut Oak
• Fastigiate English Oak
• Pin Oak
• Sawtooth Oak
• Bicolor Oak a/k/a Swamp White Oak
• Shingle Oak
• Shumard Red Oak ...



• Pear :: Aristocrat - Bradford - Chanticleer - Fruit-bearing Bartlett Pear Pears attract deer.

• Japanese Black Pine
• Himalayan Pine
• White Pine
• Weeping White Pine
• Fastigiate White Pine

• Colorado Blue Spruce
• Colorado Spruce
• Norway Spruce
• Weeping Norway Spruce
• Serbian Spruce



• Snowbell :: Japanese Snowbell - Fragrant Snowbell Ornamentals such as Snowbell and Stewartia may experience deer damage at a younger age, but established trees rarely experience more than occasional browsing interest.
• Stewartia
• Sweetgum (sterile, non-gumball producing variety available) Sweetgums feature fair deer resistance.
• American Sycamore Sycamore feature fair deer resistance.
• Golden Weeping Willow We have not noted that deer impact mature Willows, but will mark (deer rub) younger saplings.
• Zelkova :: Green Vase - Japanese - Village Green Zelkova feature fair deer resistance.