Application Guide

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Before you start out to prune, learn how plants grow.

Trees and shrubs put on new growth each year from

the ends of the branches (terminal buds) and from

side branches (lateral buds). A plant’s direction and

rate of growth are determined by its terminal buds.

Lateral buds form branches and twigs that ﬁll in the

skeleton of major branches. Dormant buds, which are

much less obvious and sometimes hidden below the

bark, held in reserve. They only begin to grow if the

plant suffers injury to its terminal and lateral buds. A

key to skillful pruning is learning how to take advan-

tage of lateral and dormant buds in redirecting growth

or rejuvenating a plant.

HOW PLANTS GROW

TERMINAL

BUDS

NEW

WOOD

SUCKERS

ROOTS

MAIN BRANCH,

LEADER OR TRUNK

WATER

SPROUTS

YEAR OLD

WOOD

DOUBLE

LEADER

LATERAL

BUDS

STUB

SPURS