Sometimes completely eliminating a tree is the best option when large sections must be removed to ensure safety. Pruning for health might involve removing crowded, rubbing, or crossing branches to improve airflow and decrease the chance of self-wounding. It may also mean eliminating diseased or insect-ridden branches. Promoting a strong framework through judicious pruning also is pruning for health. Pruning may be done to improve or enhance the appearance of trees.
Some situations call for trees to be molded into formal or rigid shapes.
Others require a tree's natural tendencies to be accentuated, not modified. While each style has its place, trees pruned to take advantage of their natural growth habit usually require less maintenance than their carefully sculpted counterparts. The absence of foliage makes it easy to see and remove branches that are in the wrong place. But pruning can also be done at other times of the year. In fact, pruning to remove broken, dead, or diseased branches should be done as soon as these defects are noticed.