How High Should I Prune My Yoshino Cherry Tree?

Natural Size and Growth

• Yoshino cherry trees develop a broad, rounded canopy of branches naturally. Pruning the ends of branches prematurely creates an awkward branching silhouette that would be very noticeable during winter and as the flowering occurs in spring. Since trees rarely grow taller than 20 feet tall, do not plant them where upper branches need to be pruned for safety, such as under utility lines. Spreading branches can be trimmed lightly to shape the tree, but shearing isn't warranted.

Canopy Bottom

• When grown in the nursery, young sapling Yoshino cherries are usually trained to have a bare, straight lower trunk, with the first branches occurring at 4 to 6 feet high. If the tree is not trained, it can develop large, low branches only 3 to 4 feet from the ground. Such low-branched trees are not good for use as street trees or where people need clearance under the tree. As the Yoshino cherry grows taller, the lowermost branches may be trimmed off over the course of two to three years to ensure that the lowest branches in the canopy aren't too low to the ground.

Lifting Branches

• Removing the lower branches on trees to improve the amount of clearance is a pruning task referred to as "lifting the canopy." Do not prune too many lower branches at once, as you don't want to remove too many leafy branches where photosynthesis occurs. To maintain a natural look to the Yoshino cherry, never remove more than one-third to one-half of the canopy. For example, when young and only 10 feet tall, do not remove branches that are higher than 5 feet off the ground. On a mature Yoshino tree that is 20 feet tall, you should not remove branches any higher than 10 feet high on the trunk. Ideally, the cherry's canopy should two-thirds of the tree's height, with the bottom one-third exposed trunk.

How Much to Remove

• If a Yoshino cherry is planted in a bed of shrubs and mulched garden beds, lifting the canopy may not be necessary. However, a tree in the lawn may need a clearance of 6 feet to allow riding lawn mowers and people to move comfortably under the canopy. The canopy needs to be higher if planted next to a street. Cars need at least 6 feet of clearance, while pickups need at least 10 feet. Local codes may dictate that Yoshino cherry trees have branches pruned to allow 20 feet of clearance over municipal streets to allow all kinds of vehicles to pass under them without damage.