If you’re like most homeowners, you probably have at least one white pine tree on your property. white pine are beautiful trees that add a touch of elegance to any area. But do deer eat white pine?
The answer is yes – deer love eating the buds of white pine. Deer are attracted to white pine buds because they’re usually well-watered, fertilized, and are tasty to them.
Considering that a single deer can eat several pounds of plants each day, you can see how deer eating white pine can really do some serious damage to your garden!
In this article, we’ll discuss how to stop deer from eating your white pine and why they eat them in the first place.
Why Do Deer Eat White Pine Trees?
As we covered, deer will eat as many white pine buds as possible when they’ve got the chance.
But why do they do this?
Deer like sweet, tender foliage on trees that hold water, and white pine buds check every box.
The buds of white pine trees are also easy on a deer’s digestive system.
The smell of white pine is also very enticing to deer, and it doesn’t have any natural predators so it’s rather plentiful.
Deer can do some serious damage to a large amount of white pine trees in a single sitting if they’re hungry enough!
This was confirmed in a 1999 study on deer plant eating habits by Cornell University.
Flowers like white pine contain water, sugar, and nutrients, which makes them an ideal food source for deer.
And don’t think that your newer white pines are safe either: deer actually prefer new growth because they’re more tender.
Additionally, deer will consume a wide variety of foods like white pine buds based on opportunity.
They’re usually planted in the ground, so they’re easy for deer to access.
In fact, some folks specifically plant white pines around their food plots to attract deer.
If you’re not convinced, plant a few white pine trees and wait to see what happens!
How Do I Keep Deer From Eating My White Pine Trees?
There are a few things to keep in mind when you’re protecting white pine trees from hungry deer: their habits, your scent, repellent options, and when you plant them.
Deer will eat nearly anything if they’re hungry enough, so your main goal is making your garden as least inviting to deer as possible.
Check out our guide on how to keep deer from eating plants where we cover 25 quick and easy tips for keeping hungry deer out of your garden.
Use Bud Caps On Your White Pine Trees
Bud caps are just 4” x 6” pieces of paper folded in half that you staple around the bud and terminal shoot of your white pine tree.
Use about two to three staples on each side of the paper to hold it in place.
Deer will be discouraged from munching on the white pine buds thanks to the bud caps in their way.
You can spray homemade deer repellent or mint spray on these bud caps for an added layer of protection.
Will My White Pine Grow Back After Deer Eat Them?
Fortunately most white pines can survive light deer browsing as long as the tip of the stem, also known as the terminal growth point, is not damaged.
That tip is easily reachable and tasty to deer, which is why it’s important to use bud caps on your white pines.
Once your white pine reaches maturity, the terminal growth point will be out of reach of deer and will be much more resistant to significant damage.
If deer happen to munch down your white pine, continue regular care of your plants including watering and fertilizer as necessary until they’re back to good health.
Consider using one of the deer mitigation options we outlined above to prevent future concerns.
Is White Pine Good For Deer?
Yes, white pine buds are very healthy for deer to eat.
Deer eating white pine provides them with vitamin C which helps protect deer against scurvy and assists in deer immune system function.
Do Deer Eat White Pine? Wrapping Things Up
So, do deer eat white pine?
The answer is yes!
Deer will eat white pine buds like candy, and they benefit from the vitamin C content in them.
Fortunately, there are things you can do to keep them away like using fences, bud caps, and reducing the enticing scent that your white pine give off to ward off deer from eating them.
Have any observations to add to the discussion? Be sure to let us know in the comments below.
Check our our other helpful wildlife guides while you’re here:
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- Do deer eat sunflowers?
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