I’ve been collecting some examples if improper tree pruning and it is time to share them with you!
I’ll cover two main types of improper pruning in this article. The first is called “lion-tailing”. It involves taking lateral branches off, almost to the end of each stem. Our native desert trees actually look good when they are trimmed in a very mild version of this method but you have to be careful! Lion-tailed branches have all the weight out on the very end – there is a lot of leverage there. Also, continually stripping laterals from a stem causes it to stay “skinny” and not grow in girth. The end result is a long, skinny branch that is heavy on the end – the kind of branch that will fail in a windstorm, or for no reason at all. Here is what I would consider an extreme case of lion-tailing:
Lion-tailed Palo Verde
The only remedy for lion-tailing is to let laterals grow on all the branches – if they don’t break in storms first! The new laterals will be suckers, which are never as firmly attached as the original branches that have been removed. It would have been much better for the tree if these original laterals had never been removed at all! One of the dangers to the survival of the tree is that the bark may become sunburned after the tree is stripped, killing portions of the tree leading to its ultimate death. Don’t let anyone do this to your tree!
The second main category of improper pruning that I’m going to cover is called “topping”. Topping is the indiscriminate cutting of branches without regard to laterals. Basically, just deciding to cut off the top of the tree at a certain height or place where there isn’t a fork/lateral.I get calls all the time from people who say their tree is getting too tall. They are worried it will fall on their house. If the tree is structurally sound, there is usually no cause to fear. I always reassure the customer that a tall, strong tree isn’t as dangerous as a short, weak tree! Topping creates a wound that the tree cannot heal. Around the topping cut, suckers sprout (which are weakly attached). The wound rots as the suckers get bigger and heavier. Eventually the suckers (now branches – perhaps very large branches) start tearing apart the trunk/main branches of the now rotted out tree. Topping ruins trees and we will not do it!
But (and there is a but…), once a tree has been topped, it may be necessary to re-top it periodically to keep the suckers from becoming so heavy that the tree is lost. We spend a good bit of our winter work doing just this to old Mulberry trees whose trunks are completely rotten inside.If the tree is very young, and the topping cuts are on very small branches, it may be possible to do a “restoration prune” which involves going to each of the topping cuts and thinning the suckers to only one (or a few). This process must be repeated for several years! Eventually, the tree may layer new (good, sound) wood over the areas of the topping cuts and the tree may be structurally sound again.Either method of remediation is a long and costly process. Sometimes it is faster and cheaper to just remove the tree and start over. It only takes a little time to ruin a tree (or just select branches of a tree) by topping – don’t let anyone do this to your trees!
A Young Topped Palo Verde - Isn't This Ugly?
Here is Another Topped Palo Verde in the Same Yard
These Palo Verdes might be candidates for a restoration prune if it doesn’t die from sunburn first. The tree on the left had been topped in the last year or two, then lion-tailed. I don’t know if it is possible to fix that one.
Topped Palo Verde that Died (probably) from Sunburn
The tree above needs to be removed.
Mildly Topped Mesquite
A “professional” tree company did this. They had trimmed the trees the two previous years and did a nice job. The customer trusted the crew and left while the work was being done. They were so disappointed when they got home and saw what had happened that they called us and had us take the tree out. We replaced it with a new Mesquite. The tree was planted too deep and had girdling roots too. What a mess!
A Topped Mesquite Tree
This tree has had some of its limbs “topped” – they were cut off because they were hanging too low. Each cut will sucker out and start rotting. What a mess!
Hedge-Trimmed Palo Verde Trees!
At first glance, these Palo Verde trees don’t look too bad, right? Someone really “shaped them up”! Well, perhaps. But, what they really did was top all the exterior branches with a hedge-trimmer. It must have been difficult to do, and in the process, they ruined both trees. I don’t know if it is possible to restore these trees without spending many years and lots of money! Did you know that using a hedge-trimmer on bushes is not the right way to trim them? But, that is a story for another time…
I have saved the best for last. We were driving along the highway in Phoenix and I spotted some trees in the parking lot of one of the businesses in a shopping mall. It appears that every tree on the property was topped at about 8ft from the ground – just leaving the main trunk. Then, when the top re-sprouted and suckers came out, this growth was “shaped up” with a hedge-trimmer. I don’t think I have ever seen such a terrible job of “tree trimming”. None of these trees is salvageable. And now, for your viewing enjoyment…
Chilean Mesquite
Another Chilean Mesquite
Blue Palo Verde
Palo Brea
Another Chilean Mesquite
Very interesting photos! And very informative. There is a reason why Arborists are certified, so use them! In my opinion, landscape trees in AZ are very important; they must provide the most shade for the least water. Proper planting and pruning are the only way to ensure their efficiency and longevity. When I first moved to AZ in 2002 I lived in an apartment. I couldn’t believe how close to the trunk the drips were, and that they dripped maybe half a gallon of water on an 8 foot tree, every day. I was convinced that the landscape company installed them that way on purpose so they could come out every year and replace the ones that fell over! Thanks for the interesting posts.
Meg, Thanks for your nice comments!
Hey Paul – you could use my palo verdes for another blog post… call it “Staking for the Ages” 😉
Thought I had seen it all but the hedge trimming treatment on a mature tree is a new one. So many tragedies happening to our street trees up here in Phoenix/Scottsdale too, 40 foot tall mesquites and sissoos reduced to one “poof” at the top.
Looking forward to you guys taking care of my trees and NOT getting any of the above!
Lauren, I could take some photos and make a nice post showing how good Palo Verde trees look! I have been very bad lately about posting articles – we’ve been swamped with work and I haven’t taken the time. Hope that can change in the future, but first I need to get caught up! 🙂
Looking for information on trimming back a “shoestring Myrtle” (?)… I think it is supposed to “droop” like a weeping willow but trying to keep hubby from “cropping” it to much, just a light thinning. Is there any information available on them?
Um… couldn’t edit my question… it’s a shoestring acacia…sorry
Small reduction cuts to shorten the low-hanging branches would be best. If you need to “raise” it more than that, you will need to oftentimes cut quite high in the tree to take off the long stingers where they originate.
I live in a golf course community.
After a few years the view from some of the homes of the golf course has been lost. Is there a proper way to stunt the height of a Palo Verde, or Iron Wood.
John, It is possible to do reduction cuts to lower the top of a tree, or pull a branch back from a roof or clear a view. These always grow back – often bushier than before. This treatment won’t work very well long-term. Possibly the trees could be thinned so you can see your view through the trees, but with Palo Verde or Ironwood you would have to thin so much that it would be unhealthy. So, there is not a good way to do what you want to do. Take the trees out or live with it. Than you!
I have a fairly large established mesquite tree in the front yard of a home I bought 3 years ago. It seems rather healthy considering it was probably not cared for very well by the previous owner. I don’t mind tackling the trimming but the suckers on this tree are driving me nuts! I use an extended handsaw to get what I can at higher points and have removed a few large (relatively recent) branches that were crowding the crown and causing excess weight on the supporting limbs. But back to the suckers. Seems for everyone I remove, 2-3 grow back in it’s spot. Is there some type spray that will stem the regrowth after removal? Thanks
Good question! There is nothing you can do in that regard though. The tree will respond to hard pruning by excessive sucker growth, so the less you prune off, the less suckers will grow! So, there is something you can do about it – take off less branches! 🙂
Ok thanks.Guess I’ve created a monster. Weird thing is that several other mesquites in the neighborhood show no signs of suckers anywhere and those trees are trimmed regularly as well.
Thank you for sharing these photos; they really explain a lot. My 3-year old Palo Verde and Mesquite trees have just been topped. I am so bummed. Will they recover a bit better because they are young? I wish I would have seen this website before I hired some random company that I saw at my neighbors house.
Too bad! I see this happening all the time though. Since the trees are small, they might be able to recover. Restoration pruning for 3 to 5 years will be necessary – go to each of the topping cuts and select one sucker as the new leader, remove the rest annually. Hope this helps!
Could I treat the acacia Tree the same way than mesquite Tree .?
Watwring and trimming ?
Thanks
Yes, should be the same for all the desert trees.
How about a post with proper pruning before and after pics?
Great idea! I keep forgetting to take “before” pictures though! 🙂
What’s the difference between lion tailing and over skirting?
I never heard of “over skirting” so I don’t know.
Our HOA just sent a letter telling us to trim our Palo Verde tree. I’ve asked to be allowed to delay as the extreme heat and drought conditions already have the poor tree under stress – trimming at this time would only add to it as I’ve been told. Recent tree trimming in our community has my daughter shuttering (she is a Master Landscaper). A lot of them that were done recently look like some of your ‘do not do’ pictures! But the HOA management team is happy with them. Most are now unprotected and subject to sunburn. I’ve seen a few that look like they won’t make it. Our Palo Verde is beautiful (needs lower branches to be trimmed when out of stress mode). No power wires are in danger from it. I just hope they give me the extension.
Julie, I agree that it would be best to wait on any major trimming on Palo Verdes until cooler weather if at all possible. Most trees are over-trimmed and it sounds like your HOA could use a conservative arborist to do the trimming instead of someone who acts like they get paid by the pound! I hope they will let you wait! Take care, Paul
Thank you so much for giving clear examples of when trimming is “too much” and becomes detrimental to a tree’s health. Since I have a couple of large trees that I rely on for fresh air, I thought that completely balding them was the right idea to prepare them for winter. Reading your article has shown me that this is definitely not the case, so I’ll look for a tree service expert that knows what they’re doing and have them do the job instead.