Is it possible to arborize a large Euonymus shrub (by
selectively pruning many of its branches to create a tree shape), as one
can with rhododendrons? I prefer pruning over removal, if that option is
available to me. What tips can you offer for pruning Euonymus in this
way?
It is a little difficult to offer advice without knowing which species of
Euonymus you are growing. There are many, some evergreen and some
deciduous. The pruning method varies according to the species. See the
link here, from Oregon State University, for information on some of the
different species.
If you would like to get back to me with information about the species, I
will be better able to assist you. For now, here is general
pruning information and links which may be of use.
Seattle gardening expert Cass Turnbull and the organization Plant Amnesty
offer helpful pruning hints. Excerpt:
Punch List for Tree-Likes. Take out:
- Dead wood
- Suckers from trunk, roots, or branches
- Crossing/rubbing branches (the worst ones)
- Branches hanging on the ground
- Wrong-way branches
- Too-far-up/too-far-down branches
- Parallel branches
- Head back to shorten (if necessary) on shrubs, not trees.
- Tree-likes vary in the degree to which they may be thinned before they
sucker back or suffer dieback. Removal ranges from approximately
one-eighth to one-third total leaf area.
Another excerpt, on arborizing shrubs:
Other people strip up all the lower limbs of shrubs they consider too
big, making them somewhat reminiscent of lollipops or ostriches. I
hesitate to mention stripping because of these common abuses. However,
there are some instances where removing the lower limbs of a shrub is a
good option. It will depend on the type of plant and its location. Don’t
strip up plants just because they seem too big. Good candidates are ones
that are actually impeding foot traffic or totally obscuring windows. The
best subjects are non-suckering tree-like shrubs. Usually they are
broad-leafed evergreens, such as rhododendrons, pieris, camellias, or
strawberry trees (Arbutus unedo). Stripping up works best on very old
shrubs. By cutting off the lower branches you are “arborizing” them.
“Arbor” means tree, and you are turning your big shrub into a small tree.
English laurel is a good subject. Instead of a giant oppressive blob, you
can have an open, sort of oriental-looking, small tree. In fact, one
could say that most of these plants are trees in their native habitats.
They start out as shrubs and grow into understory trees in their
adulthood. We just expect them to stay in the shrub-like juvenile stage
forever.Some shrubs can be arborized, meaning that they can be pruned into small
trees.Pause before you strip, though. It’s a major step. Look inside your shrub
and evaluate how the trunk will look when it’s exposed. Is it fat? Good!
Does it lean and curve gracefully? Great! If possible, endeavor to leave
some branches lower down and inside to avoid the stripped or gutted
appearance. To alleviate the lollipop effect, thin out the upper canopy
of leaves, too. It should look a bit lacy and like a tree, not like a
solid ball. Don’t arborize more than a few plants in your landscape, it
begins to look silly if you do too many.Be sure to leave enough leaves to collect sunshine in order to feed the
plant. Shrubs and trees vary from species to species in the degree to
which they will let you put them on a diet. Trees and shrubs which have
been starved by over thinning usually succumb to death in a drought or
freeze. Be sure to help heavily thinned, non-suckering plants by
supplying sufficient water and fertilizer.