Photo by Gelu Popa / Getty Images
Beavers are well known for their tree felling skills – and this specific talent is one of the reasons some people get alarmed when beavers are present in their area. The loss of trees to beavers can quickly alter the visual appearance of a landscape, leading to calls for lethal removal through trapping.
Fortunately, researchers and naturalists know what types of plants beavers prefer, and which they don’t – and that’s a huge part of the solution. Here’s a quick breakdown of what trees, shrubs, and perennials beavers prefer, and which they’re more likely to avoid:
Trees preferred by beavers
- Salix species, including S. nigra (Black Willow, and S. amygdaloides (Peachleaf Willow).
- Populus species, including P. tremuloides (quaking aspen), P. balsamifera (balsam poplar), P. deltoides (Eastern cottonwood), and P. heterophylla (swamp cottonwood).
- Betula species, including B. papyrifera (paper or white birch), and B. alleghaniensis (yellow birch).
- Alnus species, including A. rubra (red alder).
- Acer species, especially A. rubrum (red maple) and A. saccharinum (silver maple)
Shrubs preferred by beavers
- Salix species, including S. discolor (Pussy Willow), S. exigua (Sandbar or Narrowleaf Willow), and S. lucida (Shining Willow)
- Alnus species, including A. incana subsp. Rugosa (speckeled or tag adler), and A. serrulate (smooth adler)
- Betula occidentalis (water birch)
- Cornus sericea (red-osier dogwood)
- Cephalanthus occidentalis (buttonbush)
- Viburnum trilobum (highbush cranberry)
- Corylus species (Hazelnut)
- Amelanchier species, including serviceberry.
Perennials preferred by beavers
- Nymphaea species, like water lilies.
- Typha species, like cattails.
- Sagittaria species, like arrowheads.
- Grasses and sedges.
Photo by KevinDerrick / Getty Images
What Beavers Avoid
While beavers will make the best of what’s available to them, including some of the species below, these are generally species that they will avoid, particularly if their preferred plants are available.
- Confiers like pine, spruce, and fir (they dislike the resin and they have lower nutritional value)
- Hard, dense hardwoods like oak and hickory (they’re extra tough)
- Non-native ornamentals (though they may still try them).
Why This Matters
Many of the species beavers prefer are those they evolved alongside in wetlands and riparian zones. If these species are available, beavers are likely to use them as food or fodder for their dams and lodges. Planting selectively – and including some plants they’ll want to avoid – can help reduce the visual impact from beaver activity.
Tree wrapping remains an excellent tool to protect plants of any species from beavers and any other wildlife who may chew on the lower parts of trees. Check out the video below to learn more about tree wrapping, or download our Beaver Coexistence Handbook for a write up.
Have you had any success in modifying your landscape to help coexist with beavers or other wildlife? Let us know on our YouTube, Instagram, Facebook or Bluesky pages, or by emailing us at [email protected].
Basey, J. M., Jenkins, S. H., & Busher, P. E. (1988). Optimal central-place foraging by beavers: Tree size selection in relation to defensive cover and distance from water. Oecologia, 76(4), 465–469. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00397864
Fryxell, J. M., & Doucet, C. M. (1993). Diet choice and the functional response of beavers. Ecology, 74(4), 1297–1306. https://doi.org/10.2307/1940062
Jenkins, S. H. (1980). A size-distance relation in food selection by beavers. Ecology, 61(4), 740–746. https://doi.org/10.2307/1936746
Novak, M. (1987). Beaver. In M. Novak, J. A. Baker, M. E. Obbard, & B. Malloch (Eds.), Wild furbearer management and conservation in North America (pp. 282–312). Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.
