Jacaranda Pruning

[Bermie]

I got a job today, a big old Jacaranda that needs deadwooding and some minor end weight reduction and clearance from other trees.
There should not be much taken off overall, maybe 10-15%.

The tree is just starting to break with the arrival of the warmer weather, Jacs flower first then leaf out...I know standard practice says leave it now till its fully out...anybody got any experience with Jacarandas? I kinda think I could get away with it...very little overall coming off...but...

Whatcha think?
PS, sub tropical.

 

[jefflovstrom]

If you are doing a "crown clean" , you should be good to go. Jac's are common here.
Jeff

 

[EdenT]

Hi Bermie, long time no read...
I should think light pruning would be ok. The biggest danger is sunburn I would think and if you get it done before it 'leaves' it should be able to put leaves where ever it needs them prior to the full heat of summer. Poor compartmentalizers so keep the injuries small. Good luck.

 

[treeseer]

How's its condition--twig extension, scar formation? recent disturbance or other stressors? If it's not doing well then maybe wait for leaves to form.

I knwo you got plenty other stuff to do..

 

[beastmaster]

You have to be careful with Jacaranda in general because if to much is removed they have a tendency to sucker out real bad on all the leaders, which looks unsightly. Cutting on them right before or during bud break can exhilarate new growth to the point you can't tell they have even been trimmed a few months before.
Deadwooding and only removing 15 to 20 percent should be O.K. but who can say for sure. 30 days would probably eliminate any need to second guess it. We have lots of Jacarandas here in So. Calif. like Jeff said.
Your a vary knowledgeable Arborist. Do what you feels right. Glad your posting. I enjoy hearing about tree care in your exotic location. Beast.

 

[Bermie]

Thanks guys...useful information!
Really very little live wood coming out, the crown is quite widely spaced as it is, interesting about the potential for suckering.

My bucket truck man is busy till at least next week...climbing this week...
Tamarind
Magnolia
Avocado
Java Plum

And influencing young minds at the annual youth environmental conference!

 

[beastmaster]

I unfortunately get to see lots of butchered jacarandas, and they're hideous when they grow back. Even ones we do regularly in commercial environments that have to be done harder then one would like to do them, sucker out really bad. Thats what I am basing my information on.
I don't think what your going to do will be enough to cause them to sucker out. Its a defense mechanism to protect its self from sun burn and starvation.(or so I think)

 

[outofmytree]

We have our own share of J.mimosafolia with the hatrack haircuts.

If the bulk of what you remove is dead wood then no biggie. Over here they sucker at the drop of a hat but the suckers seem only to last 1 summer and then you have as many as 20 inch wide dead sticks per major leader. Which begs the question why are they suckering at all? Because they need to I guess.

I have seen many Jacaranda lost to over pruning but I like the sound of your program Bermie. Chance of a few Photo's? Jacaranda in flower against the setting sun..... very nice.

 

[Bermie]

Unfortunately the setting sun is behind a hill for this tree!
Hey OOMT, we drove through Grafton (NSW or Vic?) two years ago just after the Jacaranda Festival...WOW, simply beautiful, Big full Jacs covered in flowers!

Over here they tend not to flower as heavily and one this size is very unusual. The HO is a good friend of mine, he's nurtured this garden and the one next door to preserve and enhance the existing trees, taken out invasives, planted natives, he must have some of the best migratory birding on the island in his garden...just looking at the tree we saw at least four different warblers.

Thanks again for the tips gents!

 

[Dmissb]

Hi there
I have just bought a house and when spring came around found out that I have a jacaranda in my back yard. I've always loved these trees and I was VERY excited. Before spring, there had been a creeper climbing up the tree and doing very well so I pulled it off without knowing what kind of tree it was thinking that it was killing the tree. Having done that I saw that my pretty jacaranda has at some point in its life been hacked at and a huge (quite thick) branch cut off. Obviously the previous owners or arborists did not do their research. The other main trunk is well over 10ft tall (my guess is 12ft ish) and this branch was cut off at around 5/6ft. This has of course now spurted lots of vertical shoots.
How do I save my tree??!
My original thought was that if I left one of the new shoots it would grow into a new branch, but having looked around the Internet a bit I'm no longer sure. I was going to cut the rest of them back but again having read your posts I'm not sure that would be wise.
If you could help me I would so very much appreciate it!

 

[treesmith]

Pictures would help