Pruning "Prunus Sargentii Pandora", Flowering cherry blossom

10-10-20

Hi, I planted a "Prunus Sargentii Pandora", Flowering cherry blossom up against a North facing wall last Spring. It's intended to provide some variation to a privacy hedge. It grew well this year and produced some branches lower down. It's about 7 foot high now.

As I'd like it to have a long trunk which clears most of the wall, I wanted to prune it this winter and remove the lower branches off the main trunk. According to the guidance online, pruning should be done mid-summer once the flowers have fallen. Is this always correct or can I prune now without a risk of disease?

What's the consensus?

macraignil

Cherry trees are liable to get silver leaf disease if pruned in winter so doing it now could kill it.

Happy gardening!

Jim_Hodge

Prune mid summer after the flower petals have dropped but before new buds form.

10-10-20

Thank you both.

looksee

Not sure about the truth of this, but I recall reading somewhere that if you want to turn a bush into a tree you should let it get some growth on, including side branches, till it is quite well grown then take off the now largish lower branches.

I did this for a holly tree that had turned into a massive, wide bush and it worked beautifully, made a lovely tree of it. I also turned a cotoneaster into a 'tree' by the same method.

The main problem with a prunus, as has been said, is pruning it at all, they prefer not to be cut.

Also do check out how to take off a branch - be aware of the collar or ridge of bark at the base of the branch that you do not cut off, but at the same time do not leave any spur sticking out.

10-10-20

Ok, thanks. I'll keep it in mind.

I may selectively remove the lowest limb after flowering as it's 2/3 of the size of the trunk, hoping that this pushes the growth into the upper limbs.