A fun, and easy, way to prune bushes
I’ve always referred to the process of pruning a bush to look like a tree as “treeing it up”. But upon searching that term on the interwebs, I apparently made that up. The most-returned result referenced a dog driving a raccoon or other animal up into a tree. So pretty close! 🙂
We had this overgrown Loropetalum bushy tree in the front yard. It was like bedhead-crazy with limbs sticking out in all directions. After Brandon attacked it with our hedge trimmers, it looked like this:
(If you accidentally cut through your extension cord while using hedge trimmers, check out my post on repairing an extension cord for less than $4!)
That alone made it look so much better! But since this is a tree-form of the Loropetalum bush, it could be even better by pruning the lowest little limbs to make it look more like a tree and less like a bush. With my pruning sheers in hand, I quickly cut the thin, leafy suckers that filled up the base of the bush.
See how you can see some legs on it now?? That’s my little tip for you, don’t neglect the bottom branches when pruning a tree-like bush. It makes all the difference! Hey! It’ll work for non-tree plants too-just prune those bottom branches!
We “treed up” our camellias (the only original bushes left behind during my renovation) in the backyard a few years ago and maintain that look annually. Just gives it a much cleaner, well-maintained look!
Just a side note, if you’ve never looked into a Loropetalum for your yard, I love them! They have purple and green leaves, but when they bloom, the flowers look like tiny hot pink tissue paper pom-poms. So fun! And they come in all shapes and sizes, there’s a much smaller bush version that’s very wispy and pretty as well as a thicker, tall version great for creating a screen in a side yard or along a fence.
Even after pruning and shaping I’m realizing our tree is pretty large! I think next spring we’ll cut it down more to make it smaller and hopefully it’ll fill in to make it more dense too!
How’s your summer yard maintenance growing, I mean, going? Haha! What’s your favorite season for being out in the yard? I enjoy reading any and all comments, so please leave one below!
Thanks for Checking In! ~Chelsea
Barbi K. says
July 28, 2018 at 7:54 pmOur teen son is doing yard work for a neighbor this summer so I will show him your before and afters. Thanks for the info. Looks great, Chelsea.
Chelsea Lipford Wolf says
July 31, 2018 at 12:48 pmAwesome, Barbi! Great customer service will keep them coming back next year! 🙂 ~Chelsea
DAWN A BRATCHER says
July 28, 2018 at 11:08 pmWe moved last September, but our old house has my Loropetalum that I let grow into what it is meant to be…a very large tree! In the spring, it is glorious! You can see it as soon as you turn onto the street & you just want to stand there staring up at it’s full 20 ft of blooms!
I don’t know why landscapers plant them as tiny shrubs or hedges…I guess because they are inexpensive & they figure they don’t have to prune them, so who cares!
Please do buy them, they are quite beautiful. But if you want them small, buy the dwarf kind. They do not grow 20 ft tall or need excessive pruning.
Chelsea Lipford Wolf says
July 31, 2018 at 12:48 pmSounds beautiful Dawn! I love them in all forms, but I think the wrong kind was planted at my house! It’s too big and covers our window which is a security risk, in my opinion! It’s getting a deep-pruning next spring! ~Chelsea
Barbara says
July 29, 2018 at 7:55 pmI always thought pruning bushes into trees added extra texture to the yard. Yours looks great!
Chelsea Lipford Wolf says
July 31, 2018 at 12:43 pmYes, the definition between the bush and any plants behind or around it makes it look so polished! ~Chelsea
Meleta Durst says
March 21, 2019 at 1:04 pmWe have a shrub that I planted to soften the corner of our carport. Well, it grew and grew! So, one day I decided to give it a trim. Starting at the bottom, I trimmed away the branches and liked it so much that I trimmed it about 4 ft. higher up!! It is spectacular! I said, ” I lifted the skirt of my shrub!! Now it has legs!”
Chelsea Lipford Wolf says
March 21, 2019 at 2:41 pmHaha! I love it! Shrubs with legs! ~Chelsea
JACKIE DONALDSON says
December 6, 2019 at 9:23 pmThe proper term for trimming your bush is called “limbering”. While you are there, don’t forget to cut some of the core branches or/and any one rubbing against another. Sunrays will reach the inside.
Chelsea Lipford Wolf says
December 9, 2019 at 8:44 amAwesome! Thanks for sharing, Jackie! ~Chelsea