Do I need to prune my Deodar Cedar?

9 years ago

Hello everybody~

I bought (Saved) this Deodar Cedar at a local grocery store as a live "Christmas Tree" (Christmas 2010). We had just bought a new house with absolutely no trees so I figured what the heck this will be our first one.

Now this tree was obviously butchered being it was shaved into Christmas tree shape so I hoped it would grow into it's own again.

I think it has done quite well but am concerned (Not sure if valid) about it having multiple leaders....Do I need to prune to one?....or is this an appropriate growth pattern?

Many thanks for your help.

Jennifer

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Comments (7)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 years ago
yes.. prune a couple ....

hard to tell not being there... but i would select the most vertical .. however bad it might be ... [looking form the 4 compass points.. it will probably be hard to choose whichever ... just choose one]

and head back the others by at least half.. hoping the one left reattains dominance ...

any clue how to get up there??? .. lol .. i would do it with a pole pruner ... and/or my 16 foot ladder .. i am going to guess.. you dont have either ... just be safe ...

do not try to pull it over.. to snip the tops ... they are bendable.. but not that bendable ...

ken
Embothrium
9 years ago
Looks like a Mediterranean cedar in these views. How long are the needles?
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Those beautiful trees aren't the typical retail nursery stock, sad to say. If you know of a good landscaping company or privately owned garden center, perhaps you can get someone to special order you one from one of the wholesale nurseries/growers. ANY woody plant that we have ever added to the yard comes directly from growers, but my husband and I both still have wholesale privileges at the nurseries. You might also call your local extension office to see if they have a list of nurseries/growers in your area. Perhaps there's a nursery/grower nearby that will sell to the retail trade. It NEVER hurts to call and ask! Attached is a link to the South Alabama Nursery Association, where you can click on the container grown trees AND the field grown trees sections. I expect that your tree, when you find it, will come as a container grown plant. As I recall, Deodars do not take well to the transplanting process of being field grown and dig. Good luck and let us know where you find your tree. I'm sure that others will want to know. Here is a link that might be useful: Click here
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some yellows are a spring sensation.... others are a winter show ... though i doubt deodors have any inclination to show off in winter.. since they are a warm zone plant... others will have to tell you such.. since they are not a MI plant for me... that said.. many yellow plants.. do NOT color properly if in too much shade ... so location can matter ... also.. transplant shock can make recent transplants do weird things... and w/o a pic... we will have to rely on it being properly labeled to begin with.. and that can be a dangerous presumption at times... care to post a pic and confirm the ID... and.. where are you???? ken PS: are there really two conifers named gold cone.. ???? that aint right!!!! .. seems to me.. mine is Juniperus communis 'Gold Cone' which should be Juniperus communis 'Suecica Aurea' .. which has nothing to do with deodors ... but its early.. i might be confused... BTW.... mine is entirely a spring show ....
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Dax and Dave -- Thanks so much for your replies. I went back out and looked at the tree again this morning in the area around the wound. I'm attaching some more photos. There is a girdling type wound around the entire trunk in the area of the original wound. All of the sap is oozing above this point, and none below. I would try the treatment that was successful for Dave, but am not sure where to start and stop cutting because of the girdled area around the trunk. Can you suggest where I need to begin and end the wood removal, and if you think that would work in this particular situation. (We would normally have made a cleaner cut of the branch, but because it was tearing the bark we didn't cut further. I should have gone back and made a cleaner cut after the bark healed.) Thanks again!! Kim
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Puggylover Zone 9B Norco, CA
Original Author
9 years ago
Took a better look at it when I got home last night....got all up in there and got poked to death... those needles are brutal! :O....anywho.....there is a middle leader with two side shoots wanting to take over the position.

Ken~

So I would just head the two competitors by half not back to the main leader? Heading back by half would cause the new growth to grow out instead of up correct?

Not sure why I am so insecure about this...I butcher my fruit trees daily...lol

Embothrium~

I will have to check on the size of the needles. From memory I think they are around an inch.

I have another Deodar Cedar in my front yard that is "Perfect" (In my eyes) but is different from the one pictured above. It is not as green or beefy. Pretty sure they are different types but when you buy from grocery stores and Lowe's I guess you never know they exact type. ;)

One difference in the growing conditions of the two trees is water. The below gets watered from the sprinklers and the above gets watered infrequently by hand but is heavily mulched.

Front Yard Deodar.

Thank you so much for your advice. I really appreciate it.

Jennifer
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 years ago
a tree is a tree ... so if you know how to butcher a fruit tree ... you ought to know how to butcher this one ... lol ..

the difference is.. that many conifers do NOT have dormant buds ... as the fruits do ... and that is why ID is the first step ...

so if that is the case.. then on a conifer.. growth has to come from a lower bud ...

it wont sprout 5 new sticks.. from the end of bare wood.. like many other trees do... from hidden dormant buds ..

i hope the second tree.. is not near those power lines ... would hate to think the company will come and butcher it.. for being planted in their easement ...

ken
Embothrium
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Cactus-like foliage is typical of Cedrus libani and not C. deodara, which is characterized by having long, slender needles that are not especially pokey. The second tree looks like this species.

In both cases you are housing eventually monumental trees that will grow tall and spread widely to become living landmarks. I wonder about the proximity of access routes to both the plantings shown here.
Rosefolly
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
My own opinion is that multiple leaders are a bad idea. I attended a talk by an arborist who told us that they can cause real problems when the tree is big, to the point of splitting and falling causing damage. A couple of years ago I planted a gallon cedar (deodar) which had two leaders. Pruning one off set the tree back by a year because it was almost 50% of the tree's mass, but I bit the bullet. Now it has recovered and I am happy I did the right thing.

While you want a single trunk, taking both extra leaders completely out at this point has the potential of being too much of a shock to the tree. I would shorten the extra leaders by about a third, then remove them gradually over a couple year long period. You could also consult a licensed arborist who might have some experience with this issue. Ask around and see who in your area is good. Like members of any profession, arborists vary in skill and knowledge.

All of this is based on you deciding to keep it. The truth is, it is awfully close to the driveway. You would be much happier if it were 10-15 feet further back. These trees get BIG.
Embothrium
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
100'-150' might do the job. Of course, none of us will see these reach full size. But why put large-growing trees where they are sure to get in the way later, if not get cut down completely, when they might otherwise go on to become skyline trees that add special character to the site?

Do I need to prune my Deodar Cedar?

Comments (7)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

Embothrium

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Do I need to prune my Deodar Cedar?

Comments (7)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

Embothrium

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Puggylover Zone 9B Norco, CAOriginal Author

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Puggylover Zone 9B Norco, CA
Original Author