Favorite individual tree to prune: do you have one?

[M.D. Vaden]

Someone from the Brookings Harbor, Oregon Garden Club emailed me about a flowering cherry tree tonight, and it reminded me of my favorite tree to prune - ever.

So out of the blue, I sent the man a photo.

But it is my favorite tree to prune, of all that I ever pruned. I think its because 90% of the pruning can be done by walking along the big limbs - almost like a kid in a tree.

Its a 50' wide Mt. Fuji flowering cherry in Wilsonville, Oregon.

I'd imagine that almost everyone on here has one favorite tree to prune, for one reason or another - either a single tree, or genus. What's your tree?

 

[maxburton]

Silver Maples are my favorite to prune or remove. I love the smell, the form, the bark, everything.

 

[BranchWalker74]

That Mt. Fuji flowering cherry is an awesome tree. I wish we had those in my area. I think my favorite tree to trim and remove is a Silver Maple also. To me they are very predictable. The Silver hinges perfectly every time. Also the rigging works smoothly when lowering limbs. I think it is because there are so many in my area. I am in those trees a few times a week. I really like climbing large White, and Red Oak trees, but the large Oak trees always beat me up when I am trimming them. I want to be in and out in an hour. It is more like a half of a day for some. I think i need to charge more for those trees. Maybe I'll like them more. My least favorite tree to trim is a Pin Oak. You have to go from the bottom up, and then you end up with hangers all threw the tree you need to free up. I feel like I am building a nest sometimes. One of my old groundies called one a Velcro Tree, as he was yanking a a limb out.

 

[rebelman]

Sycamore. It means I'm near the river!

 

[Dixie1]

sweetgum, smells soooo good!

 

[Grace Tree]

Bur oak. Lots of horizontal limbs. Plenty of places to redirect, stand or just sit and take in the view. A huge canopy that keeps out the competition. A good home for squirrels; 4 and 2 legged.
Phil

 

[Timberhauler]

Water oak...They have such a large canopy,and are often challenging.

 

[oldirty]

my next tattoo

View attachment 46104

i am thinking of asking the home owner if he'd let me buzz around in that tree with my hand saw.

she a nice one huh?

gonna put that tree on my body i think. have the trunk start on my hip and the canopy top finish just under my armpit with the proper spread going to chest and back.


sick!


oldirty

 

[Dixie1]

in black and gray? that would be sweet. that is a painful and sensitive spot.

 

[jonseredbred]

Sunburst Locust, lots of work, lots of raking up, but the results are always satisfying.

 

[Sunrise Guy]

Live Oaks here in Austin have given me some of the finest climbing I could ask for, when it comes to 30-50 ft. up. I really like just tying in and swinging in the breeze after a long day of pruning. On the other end of the spectrum: Cedar Elms are not to be trusted. I have seen large limbs fall off out of nowhere, and I try like heck not to count on any cedar elm limb to support me-----Gimme my 32' ladder!

 

[rahtreelimbs]

White Oak!!!

 

[treesandsurf]

View attachment 46104

i am thinking of asking the home owner if he'd let me buzz around in that tree with my hand saw.

she a nice one huh?

gonna put that tree on my body i think. have the trunk start on my hip and the canopy top finish just under my armpit with the proper spread going to chest and back.


sick!


oldirty

I love black oaks! And the funny thing is, that pic shows the black oak in winter time, it's ten times more beautiful in spring summer with all it's leaves and flowers!

jp

 

[oldirty]

thats the best part of getting tattoo'ed dixie1. the pain.

gonna be a paved in too, no colors.

i also think that a mature sycamore is an absolute stud of a tree. i love the bark how it camoflages the way it does.

and the leaves.

i usually use one when i go streak'n. just about covers everything up.
haha



oldirty

 

[Blinky]

So far, big White Oaks with big Pecans and Willow Oaks a close second and third... getting up into 100'+ Tulip Tree canopy is pretty nice too.

 

[Adkpk]

Taxes are my favorite. Nothing like fresh cut taxes. From the ground of course. I am one of the only guys I know that prunes with manual shears, too.

 

[treevet]

American elm pruning brings on alot of memories. Not many around anymore in big size. We d often have 3 skilled climbers in one tree in Princeton NJ and it made for a challenging job and good conversation. The end product was a sleek, semi cascading structure w immaculate multi stemmed trunks. No more handsome tree on the planet. No need for the gym after those jobs.

 

[woodchux]

My favorite to prune is eucalyptus. My favorite for takedowns would be lobloly pine.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Anything that is big and spreading that I can climb and swing in aspen to zilkovia .

Willows are fun too, though it seems that they can be easy to underbid.

Same with honey locust, so many forget how much raking is needed

 

[DonnyO]

?????

Anything that is big and spreading that I can climb and swing in aspen to zilkovia .

Do you mean Zelkova? Do they really get big enough to have fun with?