University of Florida

Home > Pruning shade trees > Practice pruning > Structural pruning needed

Strutural pruning needed

back buttonnext button

tree needs pruning

The three main branches in the lower canopy originating about eight feet from the ground could be shortened now to keep them small so when they are eventually removed the pruning wounds will be small. Allowing all three lower branches to grow rapidly is likely to result in four trunks all growing from about the same spot. This form is weaker than when branches are much smaller than the trunk. This tree could also use some subordination of codominant stems in the upper canopy.