Topping refers to the drastic cutting back of branches on a tree. I know you’ve seen it. I see it everyday. Nothing is left, but stubs. I looked out my front window the other day and almost fell over when I saw what my neighbor had done to his beautiful Liquidambars. He had cut them in half. I watched as the unlicensed and uninsured landscapers gleefully took a chainsaw to the trees, probably not even knowing the damage that they were causing. As many of you may know, a Liquidambar tree grows in a sort of pyramidal shape as high as 60+ feet. They tried to shape them into balls about 15 feet tall. By doing so they have permanently destroyed the aesthetics of the tree. It will never again regain it’s natural shape and possibly might not survive the butchering. It’s a shame.

Topping or hat-racking as it’s also known, is much too common. Even professional landscape contractors have been guilty of this atrocious act. So why would anyone, professional or not, want to top a tree anyway? The main reason is to limit the size of the tree, and there are many legitimate reasons to want to do so. Safety, security, view restoration, and utility line clearance are just a few. However, in most instances topping is not necessary. It’s common because it’s the fastest and easiest way to quickly reduce height, especially for an untrained or inexperienced tree worker. There is one pruning method that can be used to reduce the size of a tree and I’ll discuss that more in detail later. First, let’s cover some of the consequences of topping.

• Damage to Aesthetics: Topped trees are unsightly because the trees are completely defoliated, and only the bare trunk and branches are left. Topping destroys the natural look of the tree, permanently in most instances.The rapidly growing shoots that grow in reaction to the severity of the cuts can also be unsightly.
• Death: Many times severe topping can ultimately result in the death of the tree. Topping leaves large wounds that are susceptible to disease, decay, or insects. You’ve also removed most or all of the foliage, the energy producing portion of the tree, effectively causing starvation. With no canopy the tree is now completely exposed to sun, which can cause shock and potentially lead to death as well.
• Rapid Growth: Occasionally property managers will top a tree heavily thinking they won’t have to prune it again for a few years in an attempt to save money. That actually has the opposite effect. The problem is that because the topping cuts leave large wounds, the tree’s response is to rapidly push new growth known as watersprouts. These sprouts are more numerous, weaker, and tend to grow straight up. In the end you will have to prune sooner rather than later.
• Weak Limbs: Improper pruning cuts can lead to decay. Sometimes that decay can work it’s way into a point on the tree that can cause severe weakening of a large limb. I’ve seen some cases where the decay wasn’t visible until the limb had split off. Watersprouts are also weakly attached and can more easily break than normal growth. Both of these are a serious hazard situation that could potentially injure or even kill someone.
• Monetary Loss: Topping a tree can save money in the short run, but in the long run it can cost much more. If the tree dies there is the cost of removing and replacing the tree. There could be a loss in property value. There is the potential cost of liability if a weak limb were to break and cause loss of property, or worst yet, life. If the property owner were to choose to perform a crown restoration there is great expense in that as well. Crown restoration can take years to accomplish.

Now there is a way to reduce the height of a tree without topping, it’s known as drop crotching. This pruning method involves removing longer branches down to a smaller lateral branch that can replace it. With this method we can reduce the overall height of the tree while still maintaining it’s natural shape. There are other benefits including less injury and stress. Certain trees with strong central leaders, such as pine trees may not be conducive to drop crotching because of their growth pattern and shape. In these cases it’s probably best to remove the tree and replace it with something that will stay below the required height.

As usual, prevention is the best medicine and planting the appropriate tree for that location to begin with would solve most problems. For example, never plant a tree that will grow 60+ feet tall under power lines! Keep trees with large destructive roots, such as a Ficus, away from buildings, walls, and sidewalks. Don’t plant any type of tree or shrub right up against a fence where security might be an issue. I think you get the point. Most people just don’t take the time to stop and look up before they plant. Always take into consideration the mature size of the tree and how that will impact it’s location before planting.

With worsening economic times, I predict that I’ll be seeing more and more hat-racking. As companies look to save some money, they’ll either be hiring contractors that are less than qualified, or prune more heavily to feel that they got their money’s worth. I hope that I am wrong. In the meantime I am doing my part to educate my customers and those around me. As property managers, you can help by ensuring that you’re hiring licensed, professional contractors that understand the ramifications of topping.