UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- October is a good time to purchase trees and shrubs for home landscapes. But be sure you're not laying out a delectable feast for deer, says a wildlife biologist in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.

"The deer population in Pennsylvania is as high as it's ever been," says Margaret Brittingham, associate professor of wildlife resources. "At the same time, as people are moving into rural areas. we're seeing more and more deer damage to home landscapes. Although deer prefer younger trees and shrubs, they'll eat almost anything."

As Pennsylvania's northern forests have matured and plant growth in the understory has declined, forests in those areas have become a less suitable habitat for deer, Brittingham explains. Now, the deer population has shifted to suburban areas. "Since you can't hunt deer in residential areas, the population just keeps growing."

In much of Pennsylvania, there is a mix of agricultural, forest and residential areas, she says. "This is prime deer habitat. Deer find cover in the forest, feed in the agricultural and suburban areas, and seek refuge in suburban areas during hunting season. People are coming to the deer, but deer definitely are coming to the people too."

To avoid deer damage, the first thing to do is retain existing native plants. "These plants have already withstood the deer population," Brittingham says. "Many people get into trouble when they build a new house, clear out everything, then put in vast, expensive plantings of vulnerable young trees and shrubs."

Second, select plants that are less preferred by deer. "Deer avoid certain plants, like American holly and plants with lots of thorns," Brittingham says. "In many areas, you can figure out what deer don't eat by walking into the woods and seeing the plants that are not browsed by deer."

Other woody plants that deer tend to avoid include paper birch, common boxwood, Russian olive, American holly, Colorado blue spruce and Japanese pieris. "But everything's fair game," Brittingham says. "It just depends on the alternate food supply.

"If you're in a high deer area, you definitely want to avoid plants deer really like, such as rhododendrons and azaleas, unless you're going to fence them," she says. Other common woody plants that get severely damaged include Eastern redbud, winged euonymus (burning bush) and arbor vitae.

Other extremely vulnerable plants include balsam and Fraser fir, Norway maple, Atlantic white cedar, clematis, Cornelian dogwood, wintercreeper, English ivy, hybrid tea rose, European mountain ash, yews and apple, cherry, and plum trees.

"One of the best protections from deer is keeping the family dog in the yard," Brittingham says. "Dogs are a great way to protect your home landscape."

Finally, don't intentionally attract deer by putting out corn or salt blocks. "I once visited someone who had every tree and shrub fenced, and was feeding the deer," she says. "It makes no sense."

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EDITORS: For more information, contact Margaret Brittingham at 814-863-8442.

Contacts: Kim Dionis KDionis@psu.edu 814-863-2703 814-865-1068 fax