Pruning mimosa

[Marc Lewis]

Evening gents. Is now an ok time of year to prune a mimosa and is it ok to hit it hard as customer would like? It is located on Poole harbour on sandy soil and I think though can't be sure that the soil is slightly acidic if these factors help determine outcome. Thanks in advance.

[Marc Lewis]

I do apologise, that should have read 'gent and gentess''

[Marc Lewis]

Done a search through the threads on here and none of them answer my queries, can anyone help please?

[nepia]

I think I remember a family friend with Dip Hort Kew after his name performing a sensitive 50% reduction around now. The tree suffered not a jot; go for it.

[redmoosefaction]

We have pollarded mimosas around this time of year and they come back with a vengeance. Almost bigger than before, then the client wants them out!

 

 

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[Fredward]

Do you mean Albizia julibrissin? Some people call a mimosa something else?

 

They are very hard to reduce, becuase they naturally lion's tale. I wouldn't recommend hard reductions (topping), they sprout furiously and can be a pain to restore later, they have very weak branch attachments on normal collars, let alone epi's. Personally I would selectively take out the taller top and lateral branches to thin and slightly reduce, but can be hard because the canopy is often very uniform and nothing really protrudes. Would a decent thin not help? Sometimes you can directionally prune them away from structures.

[Marc Lewis]

The problem I have is that the client has recently bought the house. The previous occupant was a very elderly gentleman and had let the garden trees and vegetation get out of hand, not maintaining it in anyway whatsoever before sadly passing away. It is obvious that the trees, shrubs etc had been at some time well looked after. The mimosa is situated very close to the house near French windows and patio/entertaining area encroaching both. The tree stands approx. 12' high and about the same broad so takes up a fair amount of space for a relatively small area of the garden. The customer wants it reduced to about 4' high and cut right back in with little growth to take it to. I am a little apprehensive to do this. Do you think this would kill it or do you think it would bush up to what will essentially be a low pollard?

[nepia]

Having seen the reaction of the one I mentioned I say go for the chop if retention is insisted upon but from your description of the thing's location perhaps it just isn't appropriate to the location and would be better removed. Not only is the regrowth vigorous but it's whippy and a strong wind is going to have it tapping on the French windows - literally.

[Marc Lewis]

Thanks Nepia, Redmoosefaction and Fredward.

[Fredward]

No problems, it is never easy to deal with customers requests like this, and unfortunately they are not and easily pruned tree. I think the tree will survive if you wanted to make it a pollard, but decay will set in fast on this tree and the massive epicormics will be there in no time. It sounds like you may be able to directional prune away from the house but maybe not. Someone else will no doubt come in and pollard it if you walk away, but it is up to you what ethical desicision you make. I simply don't top trees becuase I was taught not to, but that's just my personal opinion.