No more than 30 percent of a mature tree’sfoliage should be removed in any one year.

STUBCUT

THINNINGCUT

HEADINGCUT

Graphics / Illustration: Tom Laird, College of Agricultural Sciences. © Penn State 2000

Monitoring Tree Pruners: Know Your Cuts

Additional graphics and information available on the Internet at aginfo.psu.edu/psp

Penn State Pointers

For Spring/Fall Time Frame

THINNING CUTThis cut is used to shorten alarge limb back to a side branchlarge enough to resume growthof the pruned limb.

The use of thinning cuts is thecorrect choice to maintain trees.

STUB CUTThe limb is cut indiscriminatelywhere no bud or side limb exists.

A stub cut is highly destructive tothe tree and should be used onlywhen removing the tree.

HEADING CUTThe result of trimming a limb backto a bud or a very small branchthat can’t support the growth ofthe pruned limb is called “heading.”

Heading shouldn’t be used unlessthe tree is being removed.

These pruning cuts arecommonly used bycertified arborists.