Pruning Advice? Weeping Yaupon

11 years ago

last modified: 11 years ago

I had a friend suggest I trim the bottom area of this yaupon and also the first larger limb that is hanging almost to the rock border of the flower bed. She says eventually it will fall over if I don't. Does anyone have experience with trimming these trees? It is as tall as the roof line but isn't noticeably leaning forward all the way up the tree. It is hard to tell in the pictures but it does turn more upright just beyond the top of the picture...

Featured Answer

Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A

11 years ago

If you can say where you live, that might help. Up here in zone 7a, snow or ice would likely take that down some years. But if you are mostly out of the snow zone, you might be OK.

It should be more full than it is, so you have something to work with. These are normally quite dense plants. Could be it's not getting enough light? or maybe it has died back some?

I think pruning this is mainly personal preference. I've seen these with low hanging limbs neatly trimmed horizontally about a foot or two from the ground, so the limbs don't touch or lay on the ground. With that in mind, I'd just prune that lowest hanging branch about 2 feet back or so. That's all. You might prune the topmost hanging branch a bit too, just to keep it from pulling the plant down in a bad ice storm.

Or, you could try staking the leader upright so the tree is more vertical, but again and is less vulnerable to winter storms, but it may be growing to light?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (10)

alouwomack
Original Author
11 years ago
Oops...I posted one picture twice. Here's the second picture:
Related Professionals
Waterloo Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Allentown Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Vancouver Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Valdosta Landscape Contractors · Terre Haute Landscape Contractors · Houma Landscape Contractors · Wichita Falls Landscape Contractors · Lebanon Landscape Contractors · Kennewick Landscape Contractors · Covington Home Additions · McComb Home Additions · York Home Additions · Murfreesboro Home Additions · Lynchburg Home Additions · Albany Home Additions
alouwomack
Original Author
11 years ago
I am in south central Oklahoma so we do get ice storms sometimes. The tree is on the east side of my house but there is a larger tree SE of it so it gets morning sun only. I am not interested in moving the tree though.
alouwomack
Original Author
11 years ago
It had a small stake on it when I bought the house in October 2013. It looks like the tree hasn't done much since I've been here. The stake was wimpy and useless so I removed it at some point. Trimming the top won't hurt it?
Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
11 years ago
Hollies and especially yaupons can take a lot of shearing. But really it should be fuller than that. Perhaps due to shade and root competition it's not as vigorous.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
your base problem.. is that it was planted about 10 feet too close to the house ... in some amount of shade [i see large trees in the pix] .. so its growing away from the house .. in search of the full sunlight it would prefer ... but thats all water under the bridge.. unless you are willing to move it next fall/winter ...

if not ... i would probably remove everything above the branch that reaches down.. and touches the rocks ...

and then i would selectively prune back pieces that touch the ground.. but not a haircut all at one height ...

it you do not do something... it will eventually break ... either from a winter event... or summer wind event ... the only thing saving you in winter.. is that it loses its leaves ...

its not really about whether topping it... is good or bad.. because it would be better that you do it .. rather than it snapping at say.. birdbath level.. in that last pic ... and then you are left with a 3 foot twig ...

ken
alouwomack
Original Author
11 years ago
Thank you both for your feedback.

This tree does not lose many leaves during winter here in southern Oklahoma. Regardless, I agree it needs some help for wind and ice conditions. I have nowhere good to relocate the tree so I'll probably trim it like you've suggested.
Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
11 years ago
I'd probably selectively trim a few branches like this and see how it goes.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
i would be a bit more aggressive than dave ... mostly because i suspect i know what i am doing.. lol .. never really sure of that ... [shut up gal]

but try daves method ... as i like to say.. you can always come back and take more ... but you cant glue too much taken .. back on ...

ken
alouwomack
Original Author
11 years ago
Thank you for the visual Dave. I probably will take a leaner approach and maybe see how it does till Fall/Winter. I'd like to get a better picture of it for you though. Maybe if I ever make it home before dark!