[Arid_gardener] Re:Texas Mountain Laurel: When & How to Prune

[Olin Miller]

If you were to trim it now while all of its juices are running it would
send out sprouts at the cut and just get bushier.  Best time to prune is
late winter when it is dormant.  It grows naturally as a multi stem,
compact shrub but it can be trained into a single or multi trunk tree.
As a tree it forms suckers that will need to be removed when they appear
which some may regard as high maintenance.  Best to grow it as shrub.

But it you are going to prune it anyway, begin by removing  all dead,
broken, diseased or problem limbs by cutting them at the point of origin
or back to a lateral branch.  Next remove weak or narrow angled branches
that can become weak crotches  Then back off and look at it to see which
trunk, or trunks, you want to keep.   Remove all of the unwanted stems.
Do not remove more than 1/3 of the growth at a time.  It is a slow
grower and depending on the size of your bush it may take several years
to get it to look like you want it to

Olin Miller
Master Gardener Volunteer, Maricopa County AZ

"The opinions or statements expressed herein are my own and should
 not be taken as a position, opinion, or endorsement of
the University of Arizona."
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----- Original Message ----- From: <jimroborr at aol.com>
Sent: Saturday, April 22, 2006 1:29 PM
> Roberta Orr,  85375,  jimroborr at aol.com
> When and how do you trim a Texas Mountain Laurel. We want ours to be a
> small tree but it's turning into a large bush with branches that now
> touch the ground.  Your advice appreciated.  Thank you.