donnyork
New Member
Pepper Trees: pruning to encourage growth
I have moved into a neighborhood where everybody has California Pepper Trees. My own yard has a large number only a couple years old, some older. I notice they either grow awfully wild and bushy or take a stately "real shade tree" character. I'm ravenously curious to know about pruning issues like whether taller growth is or isn't guarenteed by removing or thinning lower areas, whether overall foliage growth per season is sort of a constant quantity in an individual tree, etc. (Will removing lower branches necessarily increase upper branch numbers?) The art of bonzai tree growing or the art of topiary work (both unknown to me) might be useful study areas for these questions.
Eager for your comments or reading recommendations!
I have moved into a neighborhood where everybody has California Pepper Trees. My own yard has a large number only a couple years old, some older. I notice they either grow awfully wild and bushy or take a stately "real shade tree" character. I'm ravenously curious to know about pruning issues like whether taller growth is or isn't guarenteed by removing or thinning lower areas, whether overall foliage growth per season is sort of a constant quantity in an individual tree, etc. (Will removing lower branches necessarily increase upper branch numbers?) The art of bonzai tree growing or the art of topiary work (both unknown to me) might be useful study areas for these questions.
Eager for your comments or reading recommendations!