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Hi.

I have an Ilex and I want to prune it and give it a new shape this year.

The photos below were taken last year. From then, I pruned it a bit and now it doesn't have as much leaves and branches as it had. It was a light maintenance pruning.

Even so, I think that it looks very "bushy" mainly on that right branch. I want to give it some more character.

On the other hand, I am afraid of cutting what is now a very dense branch (the right one I referred).

Any thoughts on this?

Thank you.

Photos:

Your right branch is much thicker than the main trunk. So you will have to choose.. Off with the main trunk, or off with the branch. (Or accept the plant looks odd)

There's no balance in this tree. The first branch is much fatter than the trunk (or, if you consider the fat branch as trunk, the right branch is not in proportion and too high).

I'd probably do something like this, then work from here, thin it out, and select usable branches for a future design (but I can't see the branch structure in there, so I'm not sure).

leatherback wrote: Your right branch is much thicker than the main trunk. So you will have to choose.. Off with the main trunk, or off with the branch. (Or accept the plant looks odd)

Auk wrote: There's no balance in this tree. The first branch is much fatter than the trunk (or, if you consider the fat branch as trunk, the right branch is not in proportion and too high).

I'd probably do something like this, then work from here, thin it out, and select usable branches for a future design (but I can't see the branch structure in there, so I'm not sure).

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Thank you for your comments. Now that you have said that, I can agree. I have always seen this tree as peculiar for its unbalance but perhaps it's not at a stage that it can be unbalanced and still beautiful, if you know what I mean. Some trees are unbalanced but they are worked on a manner that they are beautiful. Not in this case, I guess.

Anyway, I think I am not ready to cut the hole thin part.

What do you think of this as an intermediate step?



Auk, what do you mean by thining it out? What can I do with that "round" structure? The inner branches are not so well organized (as I said, bush!) but they are dense, and there are some that can surely be selected.

Thank you!

s.valente wrote: What do you think of this as an intermediate step?

It's definately an improvement. You might try and tilt it a bit to the left, see what effect that gives.
Idea is to get the left branch under the top of the tree, optically. Not sure of that'll work out, it would require work on / repositioning of that round top.

Auk, what do you mean by thining it out?

Remove twigs/branches that you don't need, to get more 'air' inside that round top, let the remaining branches grow, to make it less bushy.

Thank you, Auk. Sometimes it's a shame to cut a tree, it hurts, but close your eyes and bam!

Anyone has more ideas? I am waiting for your replies

Can't you use the branch to be chopped off as a sacrifice branch? Since I'm not an expert the profs might want to let their thoughts shine over it. (Looking to you, Bob, Auk and Leatherback)
Anyhow, before you chop it off, see if you can marcot it. Free tree!

Curious for the future progression!

Contrainer wrote: Can't you use the branch to be chopped off as a sacrifice branch? Since I'm not an expert the profs might want to let their thoughts shine over it.

The left branch? That's already very fat, almost as fat as the base of the trunk. Letting it grow freely will make the branch even fatter and will leave a bigger wound when it's eventually cut off.

Why wouldn't it make the trunk grow thicker? When you chop it off you can make a funny hole in it which would look awesome on this tree, and wounds will close. The wound will be bigger, yes, but isn't there another way to reduce/beautify the scar tissue?

Nobody said it won't make the trunk thicker. It will however heal more slowly than the wound created by removing it now. And even now, the wound would be substantial for the tree to heal.

A scar is not really pretty, imho. And a hole.. ah well. eastetics.