I've been shaping my small buckthorn tree into an inverted cone, and
one of the main branches has grown a couple of feet taller than the
others. Simply topping the taller branch is going to produce a bunch
of spindly top growth.

But what if I took the edge of a pruner and cut or abraded away some
of its bark and vascular tissue? Is there any record of field trials
using this technique to regulate branch growth?

On Tue, 15 Jul 2003 21:20:00 GMT, (Terry
Horton) wrote:

But what if I took the edge of a pruner and cut or abraded away some
of its bark and vascular tissue?

I think it would be the same as cutting it off all together. That is,
the new branches would emerge from below the abraded band.

The inverted cone shape is usually a result of shading. If your
buckthorn is in full sun - or mostly sun then this shape may be hard
to achieve. Buckthorns are usually understory shrubs and not canopy
level trees.

Rusty Mase


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On Tue, 15 Jul 2003 18:52:52 -0500, Rusty Mase
wrote:

On Tue, 15 Jul 2003 21:20:00 GMT, (Terry
Horton) wrote:

But what if I took the edge of a pruner and cut or abraded away some
of its bark and vascular tissue?

I think it would be the same as cutting it off all together. That is,
the new branches would emerge from below the abraded band.

The inverted cone shape is usually a result of shading. If your
buckthorn is in full sun - or mostly sun then this shape may be hard
to achieve. Buckthorns are usually understory shrubs and not canopy
level trees.

It's understory and about 8' high. I've removed all the lower branches
(below ~4') to expose the view to the street. It's developed an
attractive and reasonably symmetrical scaffolding and, as you say,
it's naturally growing as an inverted cone. But one branch is
beginning to emerge as quite dominant. It's this branch I'd hope to
control. No laterals grow below the site I'd probably choose to
injure.

On Tue, 15 Jul 2003 18:52:52 -0500, Rusty Mase
wrote:

On Tue, 15 Jul 2003 21:20:00 GMT, (Terry
Horton) wrote:

But what if I took the edge of a pruner and cut or abraded away some
of its bark and vascular tissue?

I think it would be the same as cutting it off all together. That is,
the new branches would emerge from below the abraded band.

The inverted cone shape is usually a result of shading. If your
buckthorn is in full sun - or mostly sun then this shape may be hard
to achieve. Buckthorns are usually understory shrubs and not canopy
level trees.

It's understory and about 8' high. I've removed all the lower branches
(below ~4') to expose the view to the street. It's developed an
attractive and reasonably symmetrical scaffolding and, as you say,
it's naturally growing as an inverted cone. But one branch is
beginning to emerge as quite dominant. It's this branch I'd hope to
control. No laterals grow below the site I'd probably choose to
injure.