Video Library
How to Prune Shrubs
Pruning Basics
How to Prune Shrubs
Pruner Maintenance Tips
Spring Pruning - Learn How to Prune Trees, Shrubs, and Perennials
Spring Pruning Time - Azalea, Viburnum, Lilac, Indian Hawthorne, Chinese Snowball, Salvia
Winter Pruning Tips
Pruning Butterfly Bushes
How to Prune Leggy Plants
How to Prune an Overgrown Hedge | This Old House
How to Prune Butterfly Bushes and Lantana
How to Cut Back Grasses and Grass-Like Plants
Perennial Plant Pruning - Making New Plants
How to Prune Flowering Plants - Mostly Natives
Pruning Weeping Japanese Maples - How and When to Trim / - Instructional Video / Demo
How to Prune Plants for a Natural Look
How to Cut Back Low Growing Plants
How to Prune Hydrangea (A Martin Masterclass!) - Pots & Trowels
Pruning the Japanese Black Pine | Our Japanese Garden Escape
Terms and Tips
| Apical Dominance | Tendency of the apical bud to inhibit lateral bud growth. | Pruning the apical bud can encourage lateral growth. |
| Bark Inclusion | Condition where bark grows between two branches, weakening their connection. | Remove one of the branches to prevent breakage. |
| Bleeding | Flow of sap from a cut, especially in spring. | Generally, bleeding does not harm most trees and most shrubs won't have much bleeding. For plants that do bleed badly prune when the plant is less likely to bleed. |
| Branch Collar | Swollen area at the base of a branch joining the trunk. | Usually only a concern with trees. Cut outside the branch collar. |
| Bud Pruning | Removing or reducing buds to direct growth. | Pinch or cut off unwanted buds. |
| Canopy Lifting | Removing lower branches to raise canopy height. | Gradually remove lower branches. |
| Coppicing | Cutting a tree/shrub to ground level for new growth. | Best done in late winter. Most broadleaf evergreens can take coppicing in late winter to early spring. Almost all confifers cannot. |
| Cross-Pollard Pruning | Variant of pollarding used on multiple branches. | Prune several main branches back to pollards for regrowth. |
| Crown Cleaning | Removing dead, diseased, or weak limbs from a tree or shrub canopy. | Identify and remove problematic branches. |
| Crown Raising | Removing lower branches of a tree or shrub. | Don’t remove more than one-third of the total crown unless plant can take it (e.g., most established broadleaf evergreens in the late winter to early spring). |
| Crown Reduction | Decreasing tree height/spread. | Remove outer branch portions; avoid topping. |
| Crown Restoration | Pruning to restore a tree’s shape. | Usually requires multiple prunings over years. |
| Crown Thinning | Selective branch removal for light and air. | Remove branches evenly throughout the crown. |
| Deadheading | Removing spent flowers to encourage more blooms. | Snip off faded blooms at their base. |
| Disbudding | Removing buds for shape control or bloom size. | Common in roses or peonies. |
| Dormant Bud Pruning | Removing growth to encourage dormant bud activation. | Stimulates growth in specific directions. |
| Drop Crotch Pruning | Reducing tree size by pruning back leaders to lateral branches. | Often used as a better alternative to tree topping. |
| Espalier | Training a tree or shrub to grow flat against a support, such as a wall with trellis. | Prune and tie branches to a frame for desired shape. |
| Flush Cut | A pruning cut made close to the trunk or main limb. | Avoid flush cuts; leave the branch collar intact. |
| Formative Pruning | Early pruning to shape young trees or shrubs. | Focus on developing a strong structure. |
| Frill Pruning | Removing a ring of bark from around a tree to kill it. | Not recommended; harmful to the tree. |
| Frost Pruning | Pruning due to frost damage. | Wait until after the last frost to prune. |
| Girdling | Accidental removal of a ring of bark. | Avoid making cuts that encircle a branch or trunk. |
| Green Pruning | Removing young, non-woody growth. | Shapes plants and controls size during the growing season. |
| Hard Pruning | Aggressive cutting back to control size and stimulate new growth. | Best done in late winter; not all plants respond well (e.g., about all conifers do not respond well). |
| Heading Back | Shortening a branch back to a bud or smaller branch. | Cut above a healthy bud or lateral branch. |
| Heading Cut | Removing the terminal portion of a branch. | Make the cut above a bud facing the growth direction. |
| Hedge Pruning | Maintaining or creating a formal hedge shape. | Trim regularly and if shearing make sure to occasionally use bypass to cut deep into hedge to provide light and air inside. |
| Lateral Pruning | Cutting back to a lateral branch of at least one-third the diameter of the branch being removed. | Maintains structure and balance. |
| Limb Lopping | Removing large branches. | Use proper tools to avoid tearing or damage. |
| Lion’s Tail Pruning | Removing side branches from a main branch, leaving foliage at the end. | Avoid; leads to weak branch structure. |
| Maintenance Pruning | Regular pruning for plant health and appearance. | Remove dead, diseased, or crossing branches annually. |
| Mist Pruning | Light, frequent pruning of soft, herbaceous plants. | Encourages denser, controlled growth. |
| Natural Pruning | Minimal intervention growth. | Minimal pruning, just problematic branches removal. |
| Nibbling Pruning | Making small cuts for gradual shaping. | Useful for detailed shaping without stressing the plant. |
| Notching | A small cut above a bud to stimulate growth. | Make a shallow cut above a dormant bud. |
| Palm Pruning | Removing old fronds from palms. | Only remove completely brown fronds. |
| Pinching | Removing growing tips of young plants with fingers. | Encourages bushier growth; common in herbaceous plants. |
| Pole Pruner | Tool for cutting higher branches. | Use with care, ideally with training or experience. |
| Pollarding | Removing upper branches for dense foliage, often done on Crape Myrtles and sometimes called "Crape murder". | Done annually on the same stumps or 'pollards'. |
| Pruning | Selective removal of plant parts for growth control, health, and appearance. | Use clean, sharp tools, and make angled cuts above buds or branches. |
| Reduction Cut | Pruning cut reducing branch length to a smaller lateral branch. | Ensure lateral branch is at least one-third the diameter of the branch being removed. |
| Regenerative Pruning | Pruning to rejuvenate old or overgrown trees. | Gradual renewal pruning is best. |
| Rejuvenation Pruning | Cutting plants almost to ground level. | Suitable for shrubs that handle severe, including many broadleaf evergreens such as hollies and ligustrum. |
| Renewal Pruning | Gradual removal of old wood over years. | Each year, remove up to a third of the oldest stems or branches. |
| Retrenchment Pruning | Gradual size reduction in older trees. | Mimics the natural aging process of trees. |
| Root Pruning | Cutting roots for growth control or transplanting. | Cut larger roots cleanly. |
| Scaffold Pruning | Developing primary branches around a central leader. | Essential for strong structure in young trees. |
| Selective Pruning | Choosing specific branches for a desired effect. | Assess structure and prune to enhance natural shape. |
| Selective Removal | Pruning specific branches for shaping and structure. | Choose branches impacting shape or health. |
| Shaping | Pruning for a particular shape or design. | Regular shaping needed for formal designs. |
| Shearing | Trimming plants into shapes using hedge trimmers. | Allow for wider growth at the base for formal hedges and occasionally use bypass to cut deep into hedge to provide light and air inside. |
| Skeletonizing | Removing large sections of bark and cambium. | Avoid skeletonizing; use proper pruning cuts. |
| Skirt Pruning | Removing lower branches to prevent ground contact. | Ideal for fruit trees for better air circulation. |
| Snagging | Removing dangerous, dead, or broken branches. | Often done for safety; requires prompt attention. |
| Standard Pruning | Creating a tree-like shape in a shrub or vine. | Involves selecting a single stem and removing lower growth. |
| Structural Pruning | Enhancing long-term tree structure and health. | Identify and correct structural issues early. |
| Stump Pruning | Cutting a tree down to a stump. (also see coppicing) | Some trees can regrow from stumps. |
| Subordination Cut | Reducing a competing leader or branch. | Maintains a single, dominant trunk in young trees. |
| Suckering | Removing shoots from roots or lower trunk. | Remove suckers as close to their base as possible. |
| Surgical Pruning | Precise pruning for health or aesthetics. | Requires expertise. |
| Thermal Pruning | Using heat to control plant growth. | Not common in residential settings; specialized equipment needed. |
| Thinning | Removing entire branches to improve light and air circulation. | Remove older, less productive branches at their origin. |
| Tip Bearing Pruning | Pruning fruit trees that bear fruit at tips. | Avoid cutting back the tips of last year's growth. |
| Tip Pruning | Trimming branch tips for bushier growth. | Common in hedge maintenance. |
| Topiary | Shaping plants into decorative forms. | Regular pruning and detailed shaping required. |
| Topiary Pruning | Creating and maintaining artistic shapes. | Requires regular pruning and vision. If using shears occasionally use bypass to cut deep into hedge to provide light and air inside. |
| Topping | Cutting off the top of a tree. | Avoid topping; leads to weak growth and stress. |
| Training Pruning | Directing growth through pruning. | Start when the plant is young. |
| Transitional Pruning | Adjusting pruning method as a plant matures. | Shift from formative to maintenance pruning. |
| Undercutting | Initial cut on the underside of a branch. | Prevents bark tearing down the trunk. |
| Utility Pruning | Pruning to prevent interference with utility lines. | Professional execution required due to power line proximity. |
| Vase Pruning | Creating a vase-like shape in fruit trees. | Remove central branches for light. |
| Vista Pruning | Pruning to enhance a view from a point. | Remove branches to clear sightlines while maintaining tree health. |
| Water Sprouts | Removing weak, fast-growing shoots on branches. | Remove most water sprouts unless needed for branch replacement. |
| Whorl Pruning | Removing growth at nodes where several branches originate. | Useful in pines and conifers for shaping and density control. |
| Winter Pruning | Pruning during the dormant season, typically late winter. | Promotes vigorous spring growth in many trees and shrubs. |
| Wound Dressing | Covering cuts with a substance to protect them. | Often avoided in modern practice as most trees and shurbs can seal their own wounds. |
| Young Tree Pruning | Structural pruning in the early years of a tree. | Establishes a strong framework for future growth. |
| Zone Pruning | Pruning according to different plant zones. | Each zone (top, middle, lower) may need a different approach. |