Tree Pruning Principles Flashcards
6 cards from real Certified Arborist Test practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Tree Pruning Principles flashcards as text
What pruning objective is most appropriate for young trees in the establishment phase?
Answer: Structural pruning to establish sound architecture through early corrective training cuts
Structural pruning in young trees establishes the basic framework of the mature tree — selecting a dominant leader, removing co-dominant stems, and spacing scaffold branches — making corrective interventions while they are small and the resulting wounds are minor.
What is included bark, why is it a structural defect, and what pruning action is typically recommended?
Answer: Bark folded into the inside of a narrow-angle branch union that prevents proper wood formation, creating a weak point prone to splitting
Included bark forms at narrow-angle branch unions where bark tissue is folded inward rather than joining into wood, creating a plane of weakness between the two stems that can split under load. Early removal of the smaller codominant stem while it is still young is the standard management recommendation.
What does ANSI A300 Part 1 specify regarding the maximum amount of live crown that can be removed in a single pruning operation?
Answer: No more than 25% of the live crown should be removed in any single pruning operation, with less for stressed trees
ANSI A300 Part 1 specifies that no more than 25% of the live crown should be removed in a single pruning cycle, and less should be removed from trees in poor health, recently transplanted trees, or trees under significant environmental stress.
What is the difference between a thinning cut and a heading cut in pruning, and which is generally preferred for most mature tree pruning objectives?
Answer: Thinning cuts remove branches back to their origin or to a lateral; heading cuts shorten branches to a bud or lateral — thinning cuts are preferred for most mature tree objectives
Thinning removes an entire branch back to its point of origin or to a sufficiently large lateral; heading shortens a branch between nodes or to a small lateral. Thinning is generally preferred for mature trees because it maintains natural form, minimizes wound size, and avoids the vigorous, problematic regrowth response that heading cuts trigger.
What is 'lion's tailing' and why is it considered poor arboricultural practice?
Answer: Stripping interior and lower branches from limbs while leaving foliage only at branch tips
Lion's tailing strips interior and lower foliage from branches, concentrating all leaf mass and weight at the tips. This increases lever arm stress on branch unions, reduces branch taper, eliminates the structural damping role of interior foliage, and predisposes branches to wind failure.
Which pruning method involves cutting back branches to lateral branches approximately equal to one-third or more the size of the removed branch to reduce overall tree height or spread?
Answer: Crown reduction — making drop-crotch cuts to reduce height while maintaining natural structure
Crown reduction uses drop-crotch (thinning) cuts back to laterals at least one-third the diameter of the removed branch, effectively reducing height or spread while maintaining natural form — unlike topping, which makes indiscriminate heading cuts to stubs.