When you trim up a branch like that, it’s known as lion tailing. What you are doing is cutting off all developing scaffolding branches, and as that end grows, making it heavy and turning it into a wind sail. As that branch gets longer the weight of the branch you can’t reach is going to create a fulcrum point halfway up the branch. That’s where it snaps and you have nothing to cut back to you and will lose the limb entirely. What do you want to do with most desert at the trees is leave the inside full (trimming any major crossing and rubbing branches) and only address the outer 1/3 of the canopy allowing the tree to grow proportionately and develop strong branch taper. This will slow the growth of the tree, but will make it stronger overall. Secondly, to combat these types of trees from blowing over, water along the drip line of the trees. That will encourage the trees feeder and absorption roots to reach out beyond the canopy, further stabilizing the tree and reducing the risk of blow overs.
Thanks for the info! We grew a blue Palo Verde from seed around four years or so ago and are having a hard time finding information on foundational pruning.
@@somelaveenguy6822 I’m sure. it’s how I was told to trim them when I moved here from New England as well. I mean / meant no disrespect. I’m an ISA certified Arborist & tree climber who has learned from a couple board certified master arborists. Look up “mass dampening effect” study in trees. It’ll explain in further detail why not to trim trees as done in this video. Evan seems like a great guy. Tree science and best management practices are constantly evolving. I certainly won’t claim to know everything. I was just passing on some info that helped make me a better arborist :)
@@PS_Bass I was certified for about 18 yrs and your absolutely right. Reduce the tree's profile, keep and promote the interior branch structure. They've done a lot of research and found that tree's with interior branch structure fair better in high winds than tree's with little interior branch structure.
These palo verdes grow wild here in South Texas my wife and I bought a few acres of land and there was a few dozen small what I thought were just shrubs all over our land and since we got the house they've grown about eight feet and our horses have trimmed them for us they now look like trees and are so drought heat and freeze resistant plus all the shade they give they're amazing I love these trees we also have mesquite and Mexican ash and Mexican white oaks they're all super fast growing 😀
Hi Evan, thanks for the great video on the DPV. Really like to know more about your front yard. We live in So.Cal and are looking to do something very similar to what you've done (from what I could see). Like the Mexican Bird of Paradise and would appreciate a brief tour of the desert plant specimens and selection in your front yard. Doesn't have to be a video, just a list of the species and I can research them. Gratefully. Liked and Subscibed!
If you had only cut the downward growing branches and not the upward growing ones you'd have a much better looking tree. Stripping all the branchlets from the lower portions of the main branches leaves an unnatural looking result. Cutting just the downward growing branches would let plenty of wind blow through the tree and results in a much more aesthetically appealing look.
Can you recommend a tree in the AZ desert that doesn't take so much care and has NO thorns?? My arthritis is my wrists that lots of trimming is hard on me and, being retired, hiring a pro is very, very expensive. BUT, I do need some shade. Thanks for the informative video.
The Desert Museum hybrid doesn't have thorns and is extremely easy to take care of. You don't even need to trim them at all and you would still be left with a beautiful tree.
So, you don't have a "collar" to preserve when trimming? Collars often contain antibiotic hormones? So, it helps keep the tree healthy. Why is there not this collar-sensitivity? Please.
I think this video is nice, but it's better to leave thicker branches closer to the ground. This is better for non - desert trees or fruit trees. The way you have been taught isn't quite right for desert trees. This makes the trees top heavy and more likely to be toppled or split in winds. It's actually better to wait until fall to trim, not every month. It's counter intuitive, but constant pruning makes the tree weaker. For an ash or pistaches, this type of trimming makes sense. Not for palo verdes or mesquites. Go out in nature and see how a tree grows naturally. Try to emulate nature for best tree health.
100% agree. If you want a V shape tree, get a tree not a Palo Verde. These trees are more like giant shrubs in nature. (I know the Desert Museum is a hybrid) Their downward growing branches is an evolution - the branches protect the tree from extreme heat and blocks wind from the trunks. Trimming it into a V shape may be pretty but, this makes the tree top heavy and will topple or get damaged in a Haboob. My Desert Palo Verdes are not mature yet, (only 8 feet tall) but I have learned to not trim them this way. Why? The last Haboob we had here in Maricopa toppled or damaged almost every city Desert Museum tree that were professionally trimmed in a V shape! Ones, including mine that are being allowed to grow like nature intended are still in the ground and thriving.
Stick to mountain bikes bruh and let the pros handle your tree. This is not how to trim a tree. Especially the time of year and frequency. You’re also supposed to trim right before the stalk. 🤦♂️
Lot of trees are being pruned to look like this, but it's NOT the correct way to prune a palo verde. For anyone watching this video, please read @PS_Bass's comments.
When you trim up a branch like that, it’s known as lion tailing. What you are doing is cutting off all developing scaffolding branches, and as that end grows, making it heavy and turning it into a wind sail. As that branch gets longer the weight of the branch you can’t reach is going to create a fulcrum point halfway up the branch. That’s where it snaps and you have nothing to cut back to you and will lose the limb entirely. What do you want to do with most desert at the trees is leave the inside full (trimming any major crossing and rubbing branches) and only address the outer 1/3 of the canopy allowing the tree to grow proportionately and develop strong branch taper. This will slow the growth of the tree, but will make it stronger overall. Secondly, to combat these types of trees from blowing over, water along the drip line of the trees. That will encourage the trees feeder and absorption roots to reach out beyond the canopy, further stabilizing the tree and reducing the risk of blow overs.
Thanks for the info! We grew a blue Palo Verde from seed around four years or so ago and are having a hard time finding information on foundational pruning.
Thanks brother
How Evan trims his palo verdes is exactly how our arborist (Tree Pros AZ) trims all our desert museum palo verdes.
@@somelaveenguy6822 I’m sure. it’s how I was told to trim them when I moved here from New England as well. I mean / meant no disrespect. I’m an ISA certified Arborist & tree climber who has learned from a couple board certified master arborists. Look up “mass dampening effect” study in trees. It’ll explain in further detail why not to trim trees as done in this video. Evan seems like a great guy. Tree science and best management practices are constantly evolving. I certainly won’t claim to know everything. I was just passing on some info that helped make me a better arborist :)
@@PS_Bass I was certified for about 18 yrs and your absolutely right. Reduce the tree's profile, keep and promote the interior branch structure.
They've done a lot of research and found that tree's with interior branch structure fair better in high winds than tree's with little interior branch structure.
These palo verdes grow wild here in South Texas my wife and I bought a few acres of land and there was a few dozen small what I thought were just shrubs all over our land and since we got the house they've grown about eight feet and our horses have trimmed them for us they now look like trees and are so drought heat and freeze resistant plus all the shade they give they're amazing I love these trees we also have mesquite and Mexican ash and Mexican white oaks they're all super fast growing 😀
Hi Evan - this video was so helpful. Thank you for your clear, concise instructions
I love the wind FX
Your tree looks great!
Hi Evan, thanks for the great video on the DPV. Really like to know more about your front yard. We live in So.Cal and are looking to do something very similar to what you've done (from what I could see). Like the Mexican Bird of Paradise and would appreciate a brief tour of the desert plant specimens and selection in your front yard. Doesn't have to be a video, just a list of the species and I can research them. Gratefully. Liked and Subscibed!
Blessing
If you had only cut the downward growing branches and not the upward growing ones you'd have a much better looking tree. Stripping all the branchlets from the lower portions of the main branches leaves an unnatural looking result. Cutting just the downward growing branches would let plenty of wind blow through the tree and results in a much more aesthetically appealing look.
Wonderfully made video!
Looks good
Good video. Thanks.
Thanks for watching!
Can you recommend a tree in the AZ desert that doesn't take so much care and has NO thorns?? My arthritis is my wrists that lots of trimming is hard on me and, being retired, hiring a pro is very, very expensive. BUT, I do need some shade. Thanks for the informative video.
The Desert Museum hybrid doesn't have thorns and is extremely easy to take care of. You don't even need to trim them at all and you would still be left with a beautiful tree.
Where do you dispose your vegetative remains? Do you know any company in Tucson, AZ?
Can a wild looking palo verde be pruned into a good looking one? I neglected my palo verde. Want to correct it
Thank you.
I learned which tools to use , but not which branch to cut and why.
Awesome!!
What is the shrub to the left lower side of the video at the end. It has reddish orange flowers.
Mexican bird
Or Pride of Barbados
Do a follow up video a year later. What do you do when branches are 20 feet long? How do you scale it back?
You never cut the tops of a tree to scale back ( death of tree). Better to know the height of what a full mature tree will be before purchasing.
Berry good video, tips 👍
🍑 😳😍😅
So, you don't have a "collar" to preserve when trimming? Collars often contain antibiotic hormones? So, it helps keep the tree healthy.
Why is there not this collar-sensitivity? Please.
Hi, do you think this is too wide for a 1/2 backyard?
The tree? You can keep it trimmed but it does grow really fast
Thanks
I think this video is nice, but it's better to leave thicker branches closer to the ground. This is better for non - desert trees or fruit trees. The way you have been taught isn't quite right for desert trees. This makes the trees top heavy and more likely to be toppled or split in winds. It's actually better to wait until fall to trim, not every month. It's counter intuitive, but constant pruning makes the tree weaker. For an ash or pistaches, this type of trimming makes sense. Not for palo verdes or mesquites. Go out in nature and see how a tree grows naturally. Try to emulate nature for best tree health.
100% agree. If you want a V shape tree, get a tree not a Palo Verde. These trees are more like giant shrubs in nature. (I know the Desert Museum is a hybrid) Their downward growing branches is an evolution - the branches protect the tree from extreme heat and blocks wind from the trunks. Trimming it into a V shape may be pretty but, this makes the tree top heavy and will topple or get damaged in a Haboob. My Desert Palo Verdes are not mature yet, (only 8 feet tall) but I have learned to not trim them this way. Why? The last Haboob we had here in Maricopa toppled or damaged almost every city Desert Museum tree that were professionally trimmed in a V shape! Ones, including mine that are being allowed to grow like nature intended are still in the ground and thriving.
👍👍👍🌳
You didn't say how old the tree was or how many feet per year "fast" is
Mine grew from 3 foot to 12 foot in about 2 years. Love it!
@@jasonmcqueen1411 With steady watering and fertilizing mine grew from 3 to 9 feet in less than a year...
🙏
Evans DIY saga
Stick to mountain bikes bruh and let the pros handle your tree. This is not how to trim a tree. Especially the time of year and frequency. You’re also supposed to trim right before the stalk. 🤦♂️
Lot of trees are being pruned to look like this, but it's NOT the correct way to prune a palo verde. For anyone watching this video, please read @PS_Bass's comments.
Pollo Verde means Green Wood 🪵
Palo Verde means Green Stick. Pollo Verde means green Chicken.
You lions tailed it.
Worst way to prune this tree! It's called lion-tailing or gutting a tree. I won't explain more because you can google those terms.
No.
Take my advice and do not plant the PV tree as they are a pain to maintain!