Porcupine Damage- Top Leader Dead

[SeanSam]

I've got a few Austrian Pines that were damaged by a porcupine last winter. At some points the bark was completely eaten around the main trunk and some of the larger branches. Based on research the only solution I could find was to use shellac to cover the wounds and then use a dark epoxy to protect the wounds from the sun. A couple of the trees have developed a dead top leader over the summer and now 2 of them have a top leader that has turned completely yellow.

I'm wondering if I should cut the top leader off the trees in an attempt to save the tree or if I should just leave them alone. Any thoughts? Thanks!

 

[sac-climber]

What dies is dead. Pines will not form new buds on old wood. Any pruning of dead wood is simply for aesthetic purposes and completely up to you and your preference.

 

[SeanSam]

Ok, aesthetically I would cut the dead portions off the tree. I just wasn't sure if doing so would further reduce the tree's ability to survive and if I did cut the top off the tree off I should seal the wound with anything specific? Also wondering in general if a tree dies from the top down due to bark removal if its a lost cause and only a matter of time for the rest of the tree to die? Thanks for any experience you all can share!

 

[sac-climber]

No need to seal anything, the tree will take care of that on its own. If the tree was completely girdled chances for making it aren't great. Trees can die in all sorts of ways, top down would make sense for your situation. Just watch and see, there isn't really much else you can do at this point.