Hello, new to the forum.
I'm just beginning to find my fondness of gardening and have no idea what to do about my JM bush.

I planted it about 3 years ago, and 2 years ago a black bear over the winter trashed it.
The top few branches were all destroyed and became dead. It was too late by Spring to attempt a repair.
I ended up just cutting the broken stop stem section off.
The tree appears to be alive, but do you think it will ever recover and grow a new trunk?
Or is it hopeless?

Thanks for advice you can offer.

Bad Bear!

It looks like it was a small growing weeping tree to begin with. It looks very healthy otherwise, eventually, the branches its growing now will get a little more lift and grow back over the middle but, from now on, its going to be a short JM. Cut out the dead stick coming up in the middle an inch or so above where it branches. That will help it look better.

Thanks Daisyl !!

The weeping disectums tend toward pendulous growth because of genetics, so the only way to establish a new leader is by mechanically manipulating an existing branch to a more vertical orientation; or, you could do a thread graft through, or an approach to, one of the more horizontally oriented branches. Both are relatively easy and require little skill or knowledge.
After another look, the best way might be by tying one of the suckers growing in the crotch of the top branch to the stub to keep it vertical. This image should help:


Leave the stub as is for now. It will serve in the stead of a stake to tie a branch to. If there is no suitable branch now, be patient. As long as you keep the tree healthy, spring will bring forth a good many opportunities to give your tree some additional ht.
Al