5 Trees You Should Prune Right Now, and 5 You Shouldn’t Touch

Pruning is one of the best things we can do to maintain some of our favorite trees. It helps clear away dead and diseased branches. It also opens the foliage up to better circulation and helps preserve the tree’s structure and form. 

It’s a great way to keep your trees looking immaculate and at the desired size. It encourages healthy new growth and sturdy branches. It also encourages flower and fruit production. But is it necessary for all tree species in the spring? 

When we prune trees, we’re controlling their natural growth patterns. However, some species prefer to be left alone to grow as they please. Below are the five trees you should prune right now and the five you shouldn’t touch. 

Apple

	botanical name Malus spp.
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 20-45’
	hardiness zones 3-9

Apples are some of the world’s most popular fruit trees. These deciduous plants grow to be over 20 feet tall. Every spring, they put on a show with their colorful blooms. By summer, the pollinated flowers will produce a diverse array of edible fruit. 

These ancient trees love a good pruning in the spring. Catch them right now if their buds are still dormant. Cut any parts of the plant that are dead or diseased. Go to the base of the tree and take out any suckers and excessive growth near the trunk. 

Trim the tree into the shape you want but whatever you do, leave at least two-thirds. If you prune off too much, it could send the tree into shock right before the spring growing season. 

Pomegranate

	botanical name Punica granatum
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 6’-40’
	hardiness zones 8-10

Pomegranates are popular ornamentals in gardens, homes, and palaces around the world. They’re stunningly beautiful and produce nutritious and delicious deep-red fruit. 

These miraculous trees can grow almost anywhere and withstand a lot of natural pressures. However, they generally don’t respond well to heavy pruning as they fruit on old wood. 

If you’re planning on trimming your pomegranates this year, wait until after they produce fruit in the fall. Take out unproductive or diseased branches. Shape the plant to keep it organized, but don’t cut off too much. 

Oak

	botanical name Quercus spp.
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 40’ to 120’
	hardiness zones 3-10

Oaks are some of the toughest trees you can grow. They thrive in almost every corner of the country and grow to be over 120 feet tall in some cases. They also produce some of the most stunning fall colors in the forest. If you’re growing oaks in your garden, you’ll enjoy the autumn shows of color. 

Although they rarely need heavy pruning, these specimens will benefit from an annual trim. You can do this between fall and spring. If you haven’t pruned your oaks yet, give them a good haircut right now. 

Prune dead and damaged growth near the branch collar, where the large and small branches connect to the trunk. This is a great method for keeping your oaks healthy and aerated before they start putting on new foliage for the summer growing‌ season. 

Japanese Maple

	botanical name Acer palmatum
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height 3-30’
	hardiness zones 5-8

Japanese maples do not need pruning right now in spring. In fact, they barely need pruning at all. These colorful trees grow fairly uniformly throughout their lives. 

However, sometimes, you’ll need to give them a trim and remove dead and diseased branches. Wait until late winter or early spring when the tree is dormant before cutting off any growth. Do not trim excessive amounts of foliage to avoid shocking this delicate ornamental tree. 

Magnolia

	botanical name Magnolia spp.
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 10-80’
	hardiness zones 5-8

Magnolias are truly gorgeous ornamentals. Some species are evergreen, while others are deciduous. They are some of the first bloomers to look out for. And with their stunningly large and showy flowers, they’re hard to miss. 

In much of the country, magnolia blooms are starting to fade now. Once the beautiful flowers wilt away, it’s time to make your cuts. 

Take out up to one-third of the branches. Clear up spaces in between the trunk and the branches to let air into the center. Prune to encourage a balance of vertical and horizontal growth. 

Elm

	botanical name Ulmus americana
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 60-80’
	hardiness zones 3-9

Elm trees are large deciduous species that grow in many forests throughout the U.S. They grow to be up to 80 feet tall and tower above many others in the forest. 

Although they’re some of the toughest-looking trees you’ll find in the woods, they’re incredibly susceptible to diseases. Because of this, wait until late fall or early winter to prune them. If you wait too late into spring, the plant will start to produce sap and new buds. In most of the country, this is late March and early April. 

As always, disinfect your pruners before making your cuts. Besides pruning during dormancy, this cuts the risk of transferring devastating pathogens inside the plant tissue. 

Serviceberry

	botanical name Amelanchier spp.
	sun requirements Full sun to full shade
	height 15-25’
	hardiness zones 4-9

Serviceberries are becoming one of the most popular superfoods in gardens across the country. They produce tons of edible and nutrient-dense berries and striking fall colors. 

It’s best to prune them through March and April before they bloom. This prevents the spread of diseases and bacteria and helps prevent leggy growth. You’ll also encourage more fruit production in the most productive parts of the tree. 

After pruning your tree, watch for new growth in the spring. The fruit should be concentrated in the healthiest and most productive branches. 

Sugar Maple

	botanical name Acer saccharum
	sun requirements Full sun to full shade
	height 40-120’
	hardiness zones 3-8

Sugar maple is an American staple. People grow them for their colorful fall foliage and rich sap that produces maple syrup. 

Because their sticky and delicious sap flows in spring, it’s best to prune young saplings in the summer. This is when the rich sap is at its lowest concentration. If you prune established maples right now, it won’t harm you or the tree.

Instead of focusing on pruning right now, tap your trees for their delicious sap and boil it down to make homemade maple syrup. Always use disinfected sheers or pruners to avoid introducing harmful pests and diseases into the plant. 

Dogwood

	botanical name Cornus spp.
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 15-40’
	hardiness zones 4-9

Dogwoods are some of my favorite ornamentals. They produce tons of flowers in spring, with colorful bracts and adorable blossoms. They’ll compete for magnolias for being the most beautiful plants in temperate areas. 

If you live in a warm area where they have already begun to flower, don’t prune. If they haven’t prune your dogwood trees right now, or before they start blooming. Take out any dead or diseased branches and open them up for better aeration. This will help encourage vigorous new growth in the most productive areas of the plant. 

Aim to trim away around a third of the growth and leave the healthiest and strongest branches. By the time spring rolls around, you’ll enjoy epic cream to pink-colored blooms covering your tree. 

Cherry Tree

	botanical name Prunus avium
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 12-25’
	hardiness zones 3-8

Wait until winter and the very beginning of spring to prune your cherry trees. This is when they’re dormant, and harmful pests and diseases are less active. 

Although you can prune your cherries right now, they’ll likely already be gearing up for spring blooms. Once the weather starts to warm up in late March and early April, the trees are putting on new growth. If pests or diseases enter the plant tissue at this time, it could cause serious problems. 

Always disinfect your pruners or shears before making your cuts. Prune young saplings into a vase-like shape in winter. Remove dead and diseased branches. Aim for removing no more than a third of the limbs.