I think my jatropha is very 'full bodied' Whenever the cold weather knocks all the leaves off of it I take it down to the top of the main trunk and just leave about 2 inches of every branch. The tree looks like I killed it but comes back in a few months to look this good every yr.
{{gwi:984885}}

Beautiful! And look at your Arelia (?) to the left!
How-um-so-ever... my jatropha never branched near the ground... not until 6 feet up.

Irma,

Mine may have branched out that high too if I didnt keep whacking it down to about 3 ft max and then left little nubs for all the new branches to start from.

I looked for a pic of the butchered tree, but didnt find any at all, yet anyways. IF it gets nipped by the winter weather, I will take pics this time.

I am not saying DO THIS but my hunch is that if its an established plant you currently have, it will tolerate the brutal pruning with ease, mine has.

I always trimmed ours at the end of winter.

Good luck should you decide to do it.

Hi Irma:

Thanks for asking this question. I never ask the right way. LOL

Thanks for the info, Gary. I am always afraid to prune this hard.

Julie in WPB

Hey Julie email me please!

Thanks
Tony

Hey Tony:

I sent you an e-mail. Hope you get it. If not, my address is kgmpersec2 at well, you know, aol, etc, etc.

Julie in WPB