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How to Prune a Weeping Cherry Blossom Tree
How to Prune a Weeping Cherry Blossom Tree. Weeping cherry trees are beautiful to behold during the spring months. This variety of cherry tree has graceful branches that arch over and hang toward the ground. The stunning blossoms are white or delicate pink, but the graceful limbs and shape of the tree make it an aesthetically pleasing tree in your...
Weeping cherry trees are beautiful to behold during the spring months. This variety of cherry tree has graceful branches that arch over and hang toward the ground. The stunning blossoms are white or delicate pink, but the graceful limbs and shape of the tree make it an aesthetically pleasing tree in your landscape anytime of the year. Growing only to a maximum height of 40 feet, but rarely that tall, these trees do not take up much room in your lawn, according to the Yale University website. They have a spread of around 15 to 25 feet and are easy to maintain their shape with regular pruning.
Things You'll Need
Pruning shears
Determine whether your weeping cherry tree is grafted or natural. If it is grafted, there will be a graft knot on the tree trunk. Typically, this is present right beneath the crown of the tree or approximately a foot below the crown.
Prune your tree in early spring or late fall. Avoid pruning it while there are leaves or blossoms present on your weeping cherry tree.
Trim the ends of any branches that touch the ground. Your goal should be to have limbs no closer to the ground than 6 inches, according to the Gardening Know How website.
Remove all dead branches from your trees or any that appear to be diseased. Cut away any branches that rub against others or that are crossed over each other; this is more common in grafted trees.
Cut off any branches that are growing straight up if your weeping cherry is grafted. They will continue their upward growth and detract from the tree's beauty. If your tree is a natural weeping cherry, you can skip this step. The limbs will eventually arch over and hang toward the ground, creating the wonderful shape that gives it its name.
Check the center of the crown on your grafted weeping cherry. Often, this type of tree grows a section of limbs where they are twisted or growing in several different directions. Trim these to keep the arching, downward shape of the tree.
Step back from the tree and look at its overall shape. Trim it at the crown if it does not have a pleasing weeping shape to it.
