Pruning an Ornimental Tree

[tomlevick]

Hi there, hopefully someone may be able to help me.

We have a tree in our front garden, only photo is recent. All we know it's possibly some sort of oriental 0rnamental tree. It is like a very large Bonsai when in full leaf. In the summer when we moved in It had small dark green rounded leaves in clumps of overhanging weeping branches.

It does look quite twisted and gnarly as it stands now.

[image:

We would like to prune back before spring, but wondered if we should now wait until the dangers of frosts have passed. We thought we needed to prune before it started to Bud.

If anyone has any idea of what this tree might be or when to prune would be most grateful for advice.

many thanks

[Peter Jason]

I have a bushy camellia tree that was keeping the light from ornamental plants beneath it.

I have now heavily pruned it to make it tall with a bare trunk and a crown top. This lets in more light beneath and the plants there are growing well. The camellia tree seems OK.

Peter

[David E. Ross]

What is your climate? Do you get snow, hard freezes, or what?

[tomlevick]

Thank you for your replies.

We live in the UK, North of England so we get some pretty heavy frosts and snow. Just had a bout of snow.

Unlikely to be pruning back for a while, so maybe we will need to wait until march perhaps??

[David E. Ross]

Yes, I would wait. Pruning can promote new growth, especially if you have a brief period of mild or warm weather before winter is over. That new growth would then be killed when the snow and freezing weather returns.

I suggest pruning about 2 weeks before the expected end of cold weather. I would not wait until mild or warm weather because pruning should be done before new growth begins.

[tomlevick]

Glad we waited, have just had some heavy snow!

Will watch the forecast for a while then give it a prune towards end of Feb.