Tree Pruning Guide

This guide is a combination of work by: the California Department

of Forestry and Fire Protection, the National Arbor Day Association,
and the University of California, Agriculture & Natural Resources
Finding proper care for your tree is important. Your best assurance
of obtaining professional work is by using the services of an arborist
Dont Top Trees! certified by the International Society of Arboriculture. Our City
Forest can also provide a list of tree care companies and certified
arborists; contact us at (408) 99-TREES. For more information on how to prune young trees,
sign up for a Tree Amigo class or attend a pruning workshop. This guide, and all services are
provided free of cost by Our City Forest, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization.
The type of pruning your tree gets is critical to its health,
longevity, safety, and appearance. Proper pruning is
important because trees add beauty and enhance property
value, up to 27%. Improperly pruned or neglected trees
can result in: suffering tree health, lessened property value,
increased potential hazards and liability, and increased
long-term maintenance costs.
This guide is intended to describe how young trees
should be pruned. We are not encouraging tree owners
to prune large mature trees themselves. Pruning is
both difficult and dangerous, its best left to experienced arborists.

Reasons to Prune/Train Young Trees

Source: Training Young Trees for Structure & Form

Improved structural strength. By removing defects

such as weak branch attachments and codominant stems,
trained trees are structurally stronger than untrained trees.
Structurally stronger trees have a lower potential for
failure.
Reduced maintenance costs. Trained trees require less
maintenance when they are mature. Typically, trained
trees have fewer branches than untrained trees, which
means less pruning. In addition, well-spaced branches
provide easier access for arborists, and pruning can be
accomplished in a shorter period of time. Finally, trained
trees may not have structural defects that require correction by cabling, bracing, canopy thinning, and codominant
stem removal, which avoids substantial costs.
Increased tree longevity. Simply by remaining intact
longer, trained trees serve as functional components of the
urban forest for more time than untrained trees. Trained
trees have a lower potential for structural failure than
untrained trees. Failed trees and hazardous trees need to
be removed. Trees that have sustained substantial partial
failure (limb or stem failure) often need to be removed
because they are hazardous or unsightly.

Provided by:
Our City Forest
151 West Mission Street
San Jose, CA 95110
(408) 99-TREES
www.OurCityForest.org

Five Key Steps for Pruning Young Trees

Source: Training Young Trees for Structure & Form

1 Remove broken, dead, dying, diseased, or damaged

branches. Inspect the canopy and remove or cut back these
branches.
2 Select and establish a central leader. There should

only be one leader. Select the strongest and most vertical

stem as the leader and remove or cut back competing
stems.

3 Select and establish the lowest permanent branch.

Look for a well-attached branch at the desired height (determined by location and use), and remove closely-spaced,
competing branches. The diameter of the lowest permanent
branch should be no more than one-half that of the central
leader or trunk at the point of attachment. Smaller temporary branches should be left close to the lowest permanent
branch. Larger temporary branches should be pruned back
to three to four buds.
4 Select and establish scaffold branches. Look for
well-attached branches above the lowest permanent branch
that are no more than one-half the diameter of the central
leader. Scaffold branches should be well spaced both vertically and radially. Vertical spacing should be 18 inches or
more for large trees and 12 inches for smaller trees. Radial
spacing should be allowed for balanced branch distribution
around the central leader. Leave small branches close to
scaffolds as temporary branches and cut back or remove
larger branches.
5 Select temporary branches below the lowest
permanent branch. Some or all the branches below the
lowest permanent branch can be retained as temporaries.
If possible, leave the smallest branches and cut back or
remove the largest branches.
September 2006

How Much to Prune?

Source: Training Young Trees for Structure & Form

Generally, no more than 25% of the canopy of a young tree should be removed in any one year (This varies for different
tree species). In some cases, removing only 5 to 10% will be sufficient to develop structure and form. With particularly
fast-growing trees or trees with significant defects, over 25% may need to be removed. You can reduce the height of a
large tree by up to 30%. It is important that approximately 1/2 of the trees foliage originate in the lower 2/3 of the tree.

Tree Location and Training

A trees location is an important consideration for Step 3, Select and establish the lowest permanent branch. The height
of the lowest permanent branch is determined by both the location and use of the tree. Trees planted along streets or in
parking lots need to allow clearance for vehicles. For street trees, many cities require an 8-foot (2.4 M.) clearance above
the sidewalk and 14-feet (4.3 M.) over the street. Trees in parking lots need a 12 to 14-foot (3.7 to 4.3 M.) clearance.
Trees in parks and yards have variable clearance requirements. If access is not needed, or if the tree is used for wind
protection or as a visual screen, then the lower branches should be retained.

Conifers
The Five Steps can be applied to conifers, but with some modifications. Steps 1 and 2 are important. Damaged branches
and competing leaders need to be removed. Step 3 may be important depending on the trees location. If clearance is
needed for vehicles, equipment, or people, then Step 3 should be applied. Step 4 is not as important for conifers as it is
for hardwood species. In many cases this step can be skipped entirely. Look for and remove branches with weak attachments, however. Step 5 is needed if a lowest permanent branch is established.

Field Practice
It is very important to practice the Five Steps before applying them. Review each step with a helper before making cuts.
Tie string or ribbon around the leader, the lowest permanent branch, and scaffolds. Discuss reasons for your selections,
and step back to look at potential impacts on tree form and size. After you are confident of your selections, then make
your cuts. Again step back from time to time to assess impacts on tree form. Remember that species and conditions vary
considerably, and you will always need to use good judgment. Understand the reasons for the Five Steps, and then make
reasonable adjustments in the field.

When to Prune?
Source: Tree City USA Bulletin #1

When to prune depends to a large extent on why you

prune. Light pruning and the removal of dead wood can
be done anytime. Otherwise, here are some guidelines, but
recognizing that individual species may differ.
Winter Pruning during dormancy is the most

common practice. It results in a vigorous burst of new

growth in the spring and should be used if that is the desired
effect. It is usually best to wait until the coldest part of winter
has passed. Some species, such as maple, walnut, and birches,
may bleed when sap begins to flow. This is not harmful, and
will cease when the tree leafs out.
Spring At the latest, prune well before the buds swell and new
leaves begin to develop.
Summer To direct the growth by slowing the branches
you dont want; or to slow or dwarf the development
of a tree or branch, pruning should be done soon after seasonal

growth is complete. The reason for the slowing effect is that you
reduce the total leaf surface, thereby reducing the amount of food
manufactured and sent to the roots for their development and next
years growth of crown.
Fall Because decay fungi spread their spores profusely in
the fall and healing of wounds seems to be slower on fall
cuts, this is a good time to leave your pruning tools in storage.
Flowering Trees If your purpose for pruning is to enhance
flowering: 1. For trees or shrubs that bloom in summer or
fall on current years growth (e.g., crape myrtle), prune in winter.
2. For trees that bloom in spring from buds on one-year-old wood
(e.g., dogwood and flowering fruit trees), prune when their flowers
fade.

Caution: In some areas of the country, diseases or

insect occurence may be affected by the time of

pruning. Check with an arborist or nursery operator to
see if there are any local problems.

The Right Way - Where to Make The Cut

Source: Tree Pruning - Doing it Right

Remove unwanted branches at their attachment point to the trunk or another branch. Shorten branches to a lower lateral
branch at least 1/2 the diameter of the branch to be removed. DO NOT LEAVE STUBS. Stubs die-back and allow decay
to enter the trunk or branch, This shortens the trees lifespan and causes potential hazards. In addition, stubs look unnatural.
Making the cut:

BBR

Make the cut just outside the branch bark ridge (D) and the trunk collar (E) (Figure 1). These
targets mark the boundary between the branch and the trunk. The branch bark ridge (BBR) is
a raised strip of bark found on most branch crotches. When viewed from the top, it appears as
a crescent shaped ridge extending downward. From the side, it appears as a narrow triangular
ridge extending downward from the crotch to the center of the trunk. It marks the upper boundary between the branch and the trunk.

D
E

If the BBR is not clearly visible, you can approximate its location by bisecting the crotch angle
(Figure 2). Cut to lower side of this point (F) to protect the trunk or parent branch. The trunk
collar generally appears as an enlarged area at the base of the branch. Its
Don
t
actually part of the trunk (G) (Figure 2). The point at where the enlargeFlush
ment perceptibly narrows is the lower boundary between the branch and
Cut!
trunk. Make your cut to the outside off this point (G) to avoid injuring
the trunk. This type of cut is smaller and closes over rapidly.

Figure 1
Basic cut

F
G
Trunk Collar

A cut made inside the BBR or trunk collar is called a flush cut (Figure
3). The resulting wound is larger than necessary and rather injurious
to the trunk. If the trunk collar is not obvious, the angle of the final cut
should approximate the angle that the BBR forms with the axis off the
limb. Angle HY should equal angle HX (Figure 4). Many tree cavities
are a result of flush cuts.

Figure 3

Figure 2

Unobvious BBR

For Larger Branches:

Figure 4
Unobvious trunk collar
Make the first cut (A) on the underside of the branch about one foot from the crotch. Cut at
least 1/3 of the branch diameter (Figure 5). Make the second cut (B) on the top side, 1 to 3
inches from the first. The limb should split away cleanly without tearing the bark or leaving a jagged edge. The remainder can be removed with final cut (C) without damaging the tree.
Codominant Stems:
On forking branches of equal or nearly equal size, (codominant stems) make the final cut just outside of the BBR to a
point opposite of and perpendicular to the bottom of the BBR.
To remove stem 1, cut from A to B. To remove stem 2, cut from C to D (Figure 6). Never remove both. If the BBR is
not obvious, cut perpendicular to the axis of the branch to be removed. (Figure 6a). Make the cut to the outside of the
mid-point of the crotch.

First cut

Stem
2

A C Stem
1

Final cut

Figure 5

For larger branches

Figure 6

Codominant stems

mid-point

Figure 6a

Unobvious BBR

(Continued on next page)

(Continued from previous page)

Source: Tree Pruning - Doing it Right

To Change Leader Branches:

To shorten a branch back to a lower lateral branch enough to become the leader, make the final
cut outside the BBR to a point directly opposite the bottom of the BBR. You can also approximate the cut by bisecting the angle formed by the BBR and an imaginary line which intersects
the BBR and runs perpendicular to the axis of the trunk (Figure 7).

Figure 7

Pruning for Strength

Source: Tree City USA Bulletin #1

Branch Angles and Size

Narrow angles signal a point of future weakness, whether in the trunk or crown. The reason
is that as the two branches grow, neither has sufficient space to add the wood needed for
strength. Instead, they grow against each other. The effect is similar to hammering in a wedge.
To prevent this and the expensive problems that are sure to follow, simply remove one of the
two branches. For strength, the ideal branching angle approximates 10 or 2 oclock. Lateral
branches should be no more than 1/2 to 3/4 the diameter of the trunk. As the trunk grows it
will strengthen the joint by adding wood around the branch - like a dowel in a chair leg.
Rubbing Branches
Branches that rub result in wounds, decay and notches. Remove one of the
offending branches.

Ideal angles

Watersprouts and Suckers

These parasite sprouts can occur at the base or inside the crown. They
are rapidly growing, weakly attached, and upright. Usually they use more
energy that they return to the tree. It is best to remove them as soon as
possible when it is obvious they are vigorous sprouts.

Remove

Suckers

}
Temporary Branches

Rubbing Branches
Lower Temporary Branches
Branches below the lowest permanent branch can protect young bark from injury from the sun
and add taper and strength to the trunk. Particularly in lawn plantings where lower limbs do not
block passage or temp vandals, the limbs may be left for 3-4
years after planting. Then remove over the next 2-3 years,
beginning with the larger temporaries. Dont let the temporary branches become large and vigorous. Shorten the
larger temporary branches, or remove vigorous temporaries
if less vigorous ones can be selected.

Keep

Center of Gravity
Young trees deformed by wind may be corrected by
pruning. Move the trees center of gravity to a point
more central over the trunk by cutting back the leader and
laterals on the downward side (or direction of lean) to more
upright branches.
Caution: When pruning diseased trees, dip your shears in
household bleach before storing or moving to the next tree.
Be sure to rinse and wipe dry before storage.

Correcting center of
gravity.

The Wrong Way - Topping

Source: Training Young Trees for Structure & Form

Topping, heading-back or stubbing is an unnatural and

destructive pruning technique used to reduce tree height.
It is commonly practiced on trees under power lines and
on many publicly and privately owned trees. People often
assume that because they see it done so frequently that it
is an appropriate way to prune trees. Unfortunately, few
people are aware of how a tree grows, closes its wounds,
and prevents the spread of disease and decay throughout
itself, otherwise if would become a rare sight.

WRONG: Topping

Keys to Good Pruning

Source: Tree City USA Bulletin #1

1. Prune early in the life of the tree so pruning wounds are small
and so growth goes where you want it.
2. Begin your visual inspection at the top of the tree and work
downward.
3. Dont worry about protecting pruning cuts. Do not paint
larger wounds with tree paint, the evidence is that it does not
prevent or reduce decay, and actually limits healing of the
wound.
4. Keep your tools sharp. One-handed pruning shears with
curved blades (secateurs) work best on young trees.
5. Make safety a number one priority. For high branches use a pole
pruner. Some, have both a saw and shears on the same tool. A
major job on a big tree should be done by a professional arborist.
6. When you prune back to the trunk or a larger limb, branches too
small to have formed a collar (swollen area at base) should be
cut close. (Notice in the drawing of the pruning shears that the
cutting blade is cutting upward for less effort and a close cut.)
Otherwise, follow the rules of good pruning of larger limbs by
cutting just outside the branch ridge and collar and at a slight
down-and-outward angle (so as to not injure the collar).
Correct
Pruning
Do not leave a protruding stub.
Cut
7. When simply shortening a small branch, make the cut
at a lateral bud or another lateral branch (referred to as
head or headback pruning). (See Figure 9) Favor
a bud that will produce a branch that will grow in a
desired direction (usually outward). The cut should be
sharp and clean, and make at a slight angle about 1/4
inch beyond the bud.

One-Hand
Pruning Shear
(secateurs)

Pole Pruner

Too
Close

Too
Long

Figure 9

Too
Slanted

Glossary of Pruning Terms

Source: Training Young Trees for Structure & Form

Canopy. See Crown.

Central leader. Dominant, upright stem that forms the main
trunk.
Codominant stems. Stems or trunks of approximately equal
size, growing at about the same rate, and attached to one another.
Typically, the attachment is structurally weak.
Crown. Foliated portion of the tree, from the lowest branch to the
tree top; synonymous with canopy.
Decurrent. Round-headed tree form; scaffold branches codominate with central leader at maturity.
Double leader. Two codominant stems growing more or less in
the center of the tree and jointly assuming the role of the leader.
Excurrent. Conical tree form; strong central leader is present to
the top of tree when mature. Leader development is dominant over
scaffold branch development.
Included bark. Pattern of development at branch junctions where
bark is turned inward rather than pushed out. Synonymous with
embedded bark.
Lateral. Secondary branch arising from scaffold limbs.
Leader. See central leader.

Lowest permanent branch. Lowest scaffold branch on tree.

Its height is determined by tree use and location.
Pollard. Pruning technique by which young trees or branches
are initially headed and then reheaded on an annual basis
without disturbing the callus knob.
Photosynthate. Carbohydrate produced by leaves (and other
chlorophyll containing tissues) during photosynthesis.
Round-over. To reduce tree size by heading back all stems on
the periphery of the canopy by an equal amount. (This is not a
recommended pruning practice.)
Scaffold branch. A branch that is part of the main structure of
the crown. Scaffolds arise from the central leader or main trunk.
Sucker. A vigorous, upright, epicormic shoot that arises from
the latent buds below the graft union or soil level.
Temporary branch. A branch that remains on the tree for a
limited period of time. It is not part of the main structure of the
crown. Temporaries can occur on the central leader, trunk, or
scaffold branches.
Watersprout. A vigorous, upright shoot that arises from the
latent or adventitious buds above the growth or graft union on
older wood.

Content Sources
This guide is a combination of work by: the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the National Arbor Day Association, and the University of California, Agriculture & Natural Resources.

Hagen, Bruce W. (1991). Tree Pruning - Doing it Right, California Department of Forestry
Tree City USA Bulletin #1 (2000). National Arbor Day Foundation
Training Young Trees for Structure and Form, Supplemental Information (2000). University of California,
Agriculture & Natural Resources

For More Information

1. Take a Tree Amigo class or pruning workshop offered for free through Our City Forest: http://www.ourcityforest.org/
2. International Society of Arboriculture: http://www.isa-arbor.com/, or http://www.treesaregood.com/
3. City of San Jose tree permits page: http://www.sanjoseca.gov/transportation/tl_treepermits.htm
4. Registered San Jose Tree Trimming companies: http://www.ourcityforest.org/pdf/tree_trimming_companies.pdf