How are you determining the hunger level of your deer?

It cannot be predicted how any one or group of deer will behave around any one edible plant when it comes to browsing. The arbutus could be ignored for 10 years and then one day damaged by deer.

On a tough-leaved arbutus, deer might eat tender new growth, stunting the plant for a year or longer.

They are neat plants, I would say try one. Do not plant it in a level, soggy area, but rather on or atop the steepest slope you can find. They need super drainage, and are usually a plant for sunnier spots.

This post was edited by larry_gene on Thu, Apr 17, 14 at 23:44

All deer get hungry every year, having the peculiarity of being cold climate animals that do not hibernate yet rely on a food supply that diminishes significantly during winter. That is why heavy browsing of arborvitaes appears at this time of the year.