What's That Plant Over There?

EPISODE 1: POLLARDING IN BELGIUM 

As a Horticulturist and traveler, I strive to combine these passions. I love discovering methods that seem counterintuitive to my background and diving in; it's fascinating to see the many different ways we can care for our plants.

Last year, my wife and I took a vacation to Belgium as a little respite before our baby arrived in August. We spent most of our time in Bruges, a beautiful city with rich history, stunning art, and breathtaking landscapes. (She has art pictures; I have landscapes & plants)

Upon our return, I received some questions about the state of some of the trees in the photos, and unsurprisingly, they were about a line of pollarded trees. Let’s check it out.

POLLARDING IS...

A tree pruning practice (believed to be a borrowed French practice) involving annual winter removal of new growth back to the same point creating a bulge/knuckle that sprouts foliage clusters.

Often, pollarded trees stand out to people because the practice has a distinct appearance, and at first glance, it seems counter to proper pruning practices. Although the appearance is not everyone’s favorite, it does have benefits that keep this practice a staple in Belgium.

Pollarding Pros:

• Maintain trees at a manageable size. This is vital for street trees in narrow roads

•  Reduce tree or limb failure due to wind or snow/ice buildup

•  Removes growth from the reach of grazing animals

Now, I know all of you want to grab a saw and nippers, run outside, and start on your first pollarding crusade. But sheathe the saw for a moment before you give your Maple a loving final prune. A vital component to pollarding is to practice it on a species that responds well. Lucky for everyone, here is a list of trees that will benefit from Pollarding.

Now that we have examined an uncommon pruning practice, do you have any standard pruning practices around you that might raise questions for others?