UpdateHow to prune parasol plane trees correctly

Leestijd: 4 min.
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Roof plane trees are easy to prune. The most important thing here is not to be too late. Because when a plane tree is in good conditions and starts to grow, it can go fast. In many cases, the pruner is a little too late, resulting in a lot of pruning work. But if you are on time, the pruning work is orderly and also done quickly. So the focus when pruning a plane tree is mainly on timing. In this article, I won't go into so much detail but will give you an idea of the right pruning approach.

Tom
9 October 2021

(Last update: 3 July 2025)

Pruning Parasol Plane Trees: When to Do It

July – August When a parasol plane tree is pruned in summer, it often compensates with extra growth. To limit this, it is recommended to perform light thinning during the active growth months.

This is known as intermediate pruning, carried out between major pruning sessions. It is important to act in a timely manner.

October – End of April In autumn, winter, and through to the end of April, a more intense pruning is possible. Make sure to start only once the leaves have begun to change color.

Why Choose Parasol Plane Trees? Not familiar with these majestic trees yet? In this article, you’ll discover their full range of advantages and disadvantages: Why choose parasol plane trees?

How to Prune Parasol Plane Trees

Intermediate Pruning This technique involves shortening the longest, most vigorous vertical shoots. It helps maintain the tree’s structure and reduces the need for heavy pruning later.

Thinning can be done easily from the base, and usually removing around ten branches is sufficient.

Additional maintenance during this stage may include:

Cutting back drooping branches
Removing small central twigs that receive little light
This takes little effort but has a significant impact on the tree’s appearance.

Severe Pruning: Severe pruning involves cutting most branches back to stubs of about 2 to 4 cm from the main stem. Important: always leave a few shoots on each main branch, preferably horizontal ones. A completely bare tree may respond with excessive regrowth.

And What About Asymmetrical Parasol Trees? The same principles apply to asymmetrical parasol trees. With added flexibility, you can emphasize the asymmetry by keeping the horizontal branches that grow away from the trunk.

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or uncertainties.

What if you pruned too late?

Were you too late in pruning your parasol plane trees? In that case, you'll need to work with a saw or lopper instead of pruning shears. This is not only more time-consuming but also less precise and produces more pruning waste.

But the biggest downside? The tree has meanwhile developed a more extensive root system, giving it even more strength to produce new shoots. How do you deal with that?

Fortunately, you can slow down the plane tree’s metabolism by quickly and decisively controlling those outbreaks. The roots will readjust accordingly.

Ultimate tip for pruning parasol plane trees

Being almost aquatic in nature, the parasol plane tree thrives in warm and wet conditions. This is exactly when it’s most important to curb its growth.

Better to prune one time too many (and properly) than one time too late. Keep this ultimate tip in mind—it will save you a lot of work.

Pruning other trees?

Every tree species has its own pruning characteristics. Read more here: All about pruning fig trees and Proper pruning of holm oaks.

Holmoak and diseases

Leestijd: 7 min.

Sometimes we get questions about diseases on the holm oak (Quercus ilex). But let me reassure you right away: in almost all cases, the holm oak is not diseased. Like most valuable trees, the holm oak is a tree where several organisms feel at home. You can't call these inhabitants a disease, and besides, the oak doesn't suffer from them at all. Do the leaves of the holm oak turn brownish and/or fall off? If so, this may well indicate an underlying problem. In this article you can read about the most common causes and solutions for brown spots, brown leaves and leaf loss in the holm oak.

Quercus ilex | Pruning Holm Oak

Leestijd: 5 min.

When and how should you prune holm oaks? A question frequently asked by both private individuals and professionals. Holm oaks (Quercus ilex) are evergreen and can be lightly thinned throughout the year—except just before or during frost periods. This type of pruning refers to interventions that aren’t too drastic for the tree.

All you need to know about pruning fig trees

Leestijd: 2 min.

A fig tree in the garden is a true blessing. This biblical tree can regularly produce a good harvest even in our regions, allowing you to enjoy fresh figs, dried figs, or fig jam in late summer and early autumn. It’s important to plant the right varieties suited to our climate and to provide them with proper care. The pruning period of a fig tree spans across three seasons. Pruning correctly greatly influences the yield, shape, and health of the tree. In this article, you’ll learn how, when, and why to prune.

Planting depth of trees and espaliers

Leestijd: 2 min.

Trees are still planted too deep. For example, to accommodate height differences but also sometimes out of ignorance. When it comes to planting trees remember this: Better 10 centimetres too high than 2 cm too deep. Planting too deep is the most common cause of tree mortality after planting. Sometimes trees do not die but there is inhibited growth at best and delayed dying at worst. It happens that the planting depth or plant height is not respected to match a hedge or wall. In the case of umbrella trees to match the window height. Espaliers and its collaborating companies have the widest choice in trunk heights and sizes, planting too deep for these reasons cannot be an excuse. We prefer to take a project-based approach to avoid this. It also happens that planting is done correctly but a thick layer of soil cover (e.g. bark) is applied afterwards. In that case, make sure that in the nearby zone of 10 cm around the trunk the layer is very thin (max 1 cm)

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