I Have Young Dogwood That Was Rubbed By Deer Last Fall. It Has New Leaves At The Bottom Of The Tree.

Question

I have young dogwood that was rubbed by deer last fall. It has new leaves at the bottom of the tree but no leaves at the top. Do I leave it be or try and prune it?

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Answer 1

This really depends on if the original tree top has died off or not. If the main trunk is dying off from the damage, then you can keep one leader to retrain to maintain the "tree" shape. If you don't mind a shrub, then you could leave it. Keep in mind that this can require a little more pruning to keep in check. This is definitely signs of severe stress, though.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/dogwood/caring-dogwood-trees.htm