If you want a single-trunk tree, the University of California instructs.

Prune to promote plant health Remove dead or dying branches injured by disease, severe insect infestation, animals, storms, or other adverse mechanical damage. Remove branches that rub together.

Pruning in late winter, just before spring growth starts, leaves fresh wounds exposed for only a short length of time before new growth begins the wound sealing process.

Remove branch stubs Avoid topping trees. Removing large branches leaves stubs that can cause several health problems. It also destroys the plant's natural shape and promotes suckering and the. Apr 25, Smoke bush (Cotinus spp. and cvs., Zones 4–9) has amazing foliage that comes in an array of colors and beautiful, plumelike treeleaning.buzz trait you care more about will determine how you prune this shrub. Steve Aitken, a former editor at Fine Gardening, and Joann Vieira of Tower Hill Botanic Garden show how to prune Cotinus, more commonly known as smoke treeleaning.buzzted Reading Time: 1 min.

It seems these are in the se family as poison ivy, and anyone who is sensitive to poison ivy is likely to endure several weeks of hell after pruning their smokebush, unless they take extreme caution to not actually touch the bush they are pruning.

Nov 30, How to Prune a Smoke Bush. Smoke bush (Cotinus coggygria) is one of those plants that can grow either as a tree or shrub. If you want to grow it. See past project info for Perfection Pruning including photos, cost and more. Scituate, MA - Tree Service.

Apr 09, Cut them to six to eight inches above the ground, much like we do Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii). Of course, don’t prune a standard Smokebush close to the ground as it will revert to its clumping natural shape.

The best time to rejuvenate prune is.