Tree Bark damage from deer - Ask Extension
A deer has rubbed the bark off my Japanese cherry blossom tree, the tree is 1 1/2 years old, diameter is around 1 1/4 inches, about 5 feet tall, the d...
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Tree Bark damage from deer #387071
Asked March 01, 2017, 1:32 PM EST
A deer has rubbed the bark off my Japanese cherry blossom tree, the tree is 1 1/2 years old, diameter is around 1 1/4 inches, about 5 feet tall, the damaged area is around 14 inches long and goes from 1/2 to 3/4 circumference. I cleaned up the wound by removing the frayed areas, can my tree be saved, should I use some kind of wound care like tape or paste ? any information you can give me to save my tree will greatly appreciated.
Thank You
York County Pennsylvania
Expert Response
Since the tree has been severely damaged there is a good chance it will not leaf out from the crown of the plant, however, it may regrow from the base of the trunk. Multiple stems will emerge at ground level. Select the largest and straightest stem and remove the others. The tree will quickly develop; continue pruning to shape the tree.
I am not sure what type of cherry you have--if it is grafted and the shoots develop below the graft, you will not have the same tree as the one you originally purchased.
In the future, place a plastic mesh tree guard around the trunk of young trees in the fall when deer are in rut.
I am not sure what type of cherry you have--if it is grafted and the shoots develop below the graft, you will not have the same tree as the one you originally purchased.
In the future, place a plastic mesh tree guard around the trunk of young trees in the fall when deer are in rut.
The tree seems to have survived the damage or the damage is not as bad as it looks, every branch is blooming and seems to be doing well, my question is this, should I do something that helps the tree, like a coating over the rubbed area, I remember my grandfather use to use tar pitch when he cut off large branches, should I put some kind of coating over the area that was rubbed, as I said, the tree is doing well and I wonder what I can do to help heal the damaged area.
Thank You
~Dave~
Here is a link to a publication about deer damage by rubbing. It explains what has happened to the tree and what you can expect. All you can do is put a tree guard around the trunk and see if the tree can heal. There is nothing you can do but wait.
