Many trees and large shrubs require occasional pruning, and late winter in SoCal before early spring’s active growth is often a good time. When done for the right reasons, winter pruning creates healthy, vigorous plants.
Trees and shrubs should only be pruned if you have a good reason for doing so. Keep in mind that not all trees and shrubs require pruning, and inappropriate pruning can misshape and unbalance plants and even open them up to pests and diseases.
It is also important to use the correct type of pruners for the job. For most trees and large shrubs, you will want to use tree pruners.
To Determine If and How You Should Prune Your Trees and Shrubs in Winter, Keep the Following Guidelines in Mind
It’s a good idea to prune a tree or large shrub if you are:
Removing dead, diseased, crossing, or rubbing branches Improving air circulation or creating space inside of plants Directing new growth in a more desirable direction Preventing hazardous situations Cutting out water sprouts, suckers, and girdling roots, all of which can compromise the vigor and health of the plant
Guidelines for Pruning:
Guidelines for Pruning:
Cut a tree or large shrub back by no more than one-third at any given pruning session. Prune to shape young trees but never cut back a tree’s main stem or stems (its trunk) where all growth originates. Avoid pruning off lower side branches on trees for a few years, as this leads to the growth of a broad, strong trunk.
Make cuts just above a leaf node or bud, which encourages new growth at that point. Check the direction the leaf node is pointing, because this is the way the new branch will grow.
To properly prune a large limb and avoid tearing the bark:
First Cut: Cut the branch a foot or so from the trunk halfway through from below.
Second Cut: Make another cut from above to meet up with the cut from below, which will sever the heavy limb and make the remaining nub easier to manage.
Third Cut: Make a straight and clean cut just outside the branch collar, which is the swollen part at the base of the trunk. Do not cut into the collar, as this invites pests and diseases.
🌿 When to Winter Prune Landscape Trees
🌲 Conifers
Prune conifers and certain other trees in November, December, January, or February.
📌 Such trees include:
✅ Cedars
✅ Cypress
✅ Pines
✅ Redwoods
✅ Eucalyptus
🍂 Deciduous Trees
Prune most deciduous trees during their dormant period after leaves have fallen, which is usually November, December, January, or February.
📌 Such trees include:
✅ Ash (Fraxinus species)
✅ Birch (Betula species)
✅ Cape chestnut (Calodendrum capense)
✅ Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia)
✅ Chinese pistache (Pistacia chinensis)
✅ Fruitless mulberry (Morus alba)
✅ Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)
✅ Italian alder (Alnus cordata)
✅ Maple
✅ Sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua)
✅ Sycamore
🌸 Flowering Trees
Prune flowering trees when they are dormant, if they are deciduous, or immediately after flowering is completed, if they are evergreen.
For those trees that bloom when they are leafless, wait until after they finish flowering.
Flowering trees include:
- Acacias (various species)
- Bradford pear (Pyrus calleryana, several cultivars) – blooms while leafless
- Camellia Japonica
- Cape chestnut (Calodendrum capense)
- Cassia
- Chinese flame tree (Koelreuteria bipinnata)
- Coral trees (Erythrina caffra and other species) – bloom while leafless
- Crape myrtle
- Empress tree (Paulownia tomentosa) – blooms while leafless
- Firewheel trees (Stenocarpus sinuatus)
- Jacaranda
- Lemon bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus)
- New Zealand Christmas tree
- Purple orchid tree (Bauhinia variegata)
- Saucer magnolia (Magnolia soulangiana) – blooms while leafless
- Silk tree/mimosa (Albizia julibrissin)
- Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)
- Tipu tree (Tipuana tipu)
🌿 Broadleaf Evergreens
Prune broadleaf evergreens October through March or May or June.
Such trees include:
- Bronze loquat (Eriobotrya deflexa)
- Camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora)
- Carrot wood (Cupaniopsis anacardioides)
- Eucalyptus species
- Kaffir plum (Harpephyllum caffrum)
- Oaks, including coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) and holly oak (Quercus ilex)
- Olive (Olea europaea)
- Ornamental figs (Ficus species)
- Peppermint tree (Agonis flexuosa)
- Pittosporum species, such as Victorian box (Pittosporum undulatum)
- Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia)
📌 Note: Fruit trees require different pruning techniques than landscape trees. Each type has its own special requirements. Pruning a fruit tree incorrectly or at the wrong time can negatively affect fruit production.
📖 For detailed information on growing and pruning more than 40 fruit trees in Southern California, check out my book Southern California Fruit Gardening.
