Careful Planning, Gradual Pruning Essential for Flowering Trees
For Immediate Release
For Further Information Contact Sonia Garth:
(217) 355-9411 Ext 217
Careful Planning, Gradual Pruning Essential for Flowering Trees
CHAMPAIGN, IL -As summer approaches, many trees and shrubs are
flowering into greenery that highlights any outdoor picnic or barbecue. However, with the flowering
of summer comes the challenging responsibility of pruning - an act that is vital to the health of trees
and plants and requires more thought than the simple clipping of overgrowth.
"Flowering trees such as the crabapple, dogwood, Japanese maple, and cherry often
require more frequent pruning," said Dr. Bruce Fraedrich, vice president of research at Bartlett Tree Laboratories.
Why Prune?
"These trees have a capacity for rapid growth, especially while they are young. They need
to be pruned more often because they often grow in a confined space," Fraedrich said. The removal of dead,
diseased, or broken branches helps to reduce the amount of stress on a tree and keeps it growing.
The pruning of flowering trees can also help keep the surrounding area safe. Branches
that are weak or interfere with things like power lines should be trimmed to avoid possible injury to people
or property.
"Before you ever start pruning, you need to know what you want to accomplish and why,"
Fraedrich said. "Whether the intent is to reduce the tree's size for safety reasons or for health reasons."
Timing is Everything
According to a publication by the Virginia Cooperative Extension, when pruning should
take place largely depends on the individual tree, but injury could be inflicted if pruning occurs at the wrong time.
Summer flowering occurs on the new wood produced in the spring, while spring flowering
occurs on the wood produced during the summer growth. Pruning for summer flowering plants and trees should
take place in the winter or early spring to establish a healthy growing environment for new buds.
Pruning for spring flowering plants should take place after the plants have bloomed in early spring.
If the tree or shrub is less than two years old, only light pruning is needed.
Other Helpful Hints
Fraedrich warns against overpruning small, flowering trees. "People see the need to
reduce them severely, but a homeowner should prune annually and lightly instead of pruning large portions
at once. If a tree does become overgrown, the best thing is to reduce size over time instead of trying to
solve the problem all at once."
Other pruning practices suggested by the International Society of Arboriculture are to make
cuts just outside the branch collar for quick wound closure, avoid leaving stubs, and keep tools sharp and clean.
Avoid Topping
At times, a tree or plant needs to be pruned to avoid interfering with utility lines,
buildings, or other aspects of the environment. In these cases, it is important to avoid the practice of topping - the
removal of all parts beyond a certain height with no consideration of the plant's structure or health. While many
believe topping will reduce a hazard, it actually makes the tree more hazardous in the long run, and it is a temporary
and ineffective solution.
Topping "starves" trees because leaves are responsible for creating food. In an act of defense,
the tree creates shoots, which grow quickly and are prone to breaking. This can be especially hazardous in windy
conditions, seeing as shoots can grow up to 20 feet in one year.
Topping also leaves a tree more susceptible to insects and disease, makes the tree aesthetically
unpleasing, and exposes the tree to sunburn, which can lead to cankers, bark splitting, and branch death. It can
also cause decay in wounds that cannot close.
The cost of restoring the tree's health is expensive, and topping often produces what Fraedrich
calls "high maintenance trees."
Topping Alternatives
Fraedrich recommends reduction pruning as an effective alternative to topping. In this process, the size of longer branches is reduced using cuts back to lateral branches. Some branches can be removed at their point of origin.
Fraedrich also cautions against the "excessive thinning of interior branches." This can lead to excessive growth of upright interior shoots or to limb breakage.
Consulting a Certified Arborist is a good way to learn how to manage flowering trees, especiall if they are large. Knowledgeable arborists will not use topping on flowering trees.
"It can be difficult to know what cuts to make and how to handle a tree's size. Calling an arborist for the first 2 or 3 pruning cycles can really help homeowners learn how to maintain and care for their trees," Fraedrich said.
The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) is a nonprofit organization supporting
tree care research around the world. Headquartered in Champaign, Ill., ISA is dedicated to the care and
preservation of shade and ornamental trees. For more information, contact a local ISA Certified Arborist
or visit
www.isa-arbor.com.