Elm example 1

Before pruning in May year 2

There appears to be poor form on this Chinese elm. However, the tree has been pruned twice before and there is a leader in the canopy. Temporary low branches need to be shortened. Competing upright stems need to be reduced so leader can dominate the canopy.

After pruning

The tree did not get any shorter after pruning; it only looks that way because the focal length of the camera lens changed. Tips of branches are shorter that the leader and the leader is more or less in the center of the tree. Two or three major branches can be seen in the canopy.