The cutting back of some or all of the branches of a woody plant. Pruning may be necessary for a number of reasons, e.g. the removal of dead or diseased wood or to train the plant into a special shape. Usually however pruning is performed to promote the vigour of a plant and, in the case of fruit trees, to maintain a balance between vegetative growth and fruit production. The time of pruning depends on whether the plant flowers early in the season on the previous season's wood, in which case pruning is carried out after flowering, or in the summer on the current season's wood, in which case pruning should be done in early spring to encourage new growth. Examples of the first group of plants are Prunus species and winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) and of the second group butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii) and lemon-scented verbena (Lippia citriodora). See also pollarding , stooling. |
