If your mal-pruned tree is large, you'll need to consult a professional arborist who can tell you whether the tree can be restored over five or 10 years or whether it is a hazard and should be removed. Old topped trees are the ones most likely to fall on your house in a windstorm or drop a limb on the car. A topped tree rots slowly from the top downward, while regrowing weakly attached limbs and putting on girth. For such trees, the kindest cut would be at groud level. To reproduce or distribute this information for any purpose, please contact PlantAmnesty for permission.
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