For a graph G with n vertices and m edges, the energy (or the adjacency energy) is the sum of the absolute values of the eigenvalues (or adjacency eigenvalues) of G, that is, ℰ(G)=∑ni=1|λi(G)|, where λi(G) is the ith adjacency eigenvalue of G. In this paper, we discuss the characteristic polynomial and the energy of dendrimers. We first show the formula obtained for the characteristic polynomial and the energy of tree dendrimers considered in Bokhary and Tabassum [The energy of some tree dendrimers, J. Appl. Math. Comput.68 (2022) 1033–1045] are incorrect. Using a different algorithmic procedure we will derive the correct formula for the characteristic polynomial and the energy of dendrimer d(3,k). Further, we obtain the energy of d(l,k) for k=4 and k=5, which partially answers a problem raised in Bokhary and Tabassum [The energy of some tree dendrimers, J. Appl. Math. Comput.68 (2022) 1033–1045].