False acacia: when and how to prune

False acacia: when to prune it?

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Dead, diseased and broken branches can be removed at any time of year. Preferably prune in summer.

What else to prune in those months? June · July · August

False acacia: how to prune it?

1. Prune as little as possible: hard pruning or felling triggers masses of root suckers.
2. The wood is brittle: remove dead and split branches in good time and check old trees for cracks.
3. If you want to get rid of a false acacia, don’t simply fell it, but let it die off first by ring-barking it (see Problems).

How much to cut, and how often?

• One pruning period a year: June–August.

What does it mean for wildlife?

• Spreads in the wild at the expense of native species. Better removed than pruned, and never dump the prunings in the countryside.
• Pruning in June–August can fall in the nesting season (15 March–15 August). Check carefully for nesting birds first: disturbing an active nest is against the law.
• False acacia flowers in June, when it attracts bees.
• If pruning falls during flowering, wait until it is over or leave part of the plant to flower, so bees and butterflies still benefit.
• Prunings can go on a dead hedge or brash pile in a corner of the garden: shelter for hedgehogs, wrens and insects.

Common mistakes

• Clipping without first checking for nesting birds.

Nearby: related pruning guides

• Cherry laurel
• Almond tree
• Apple tree
• Apricot tree
• Beech
• Cherry tree

Similar to: Difference from golden rain tree · Difference from Japanese pagoda tree · Difference from honey locust

Plant profile: False acacia · Pruning calendar and basic rules