When you're holding a pruning saw and faced with a scraggly tree or shrub, it can be easy to get carried away and accidentally cut more than you intended.

Pruning requires a delicate balance. If you trim too little, you might leave behind unsightly branches that disrupt the tree's appearance. But if you cut too much, you risk compromising the tree's structure and overall health.

This was the concern of Kate from South Carolina, who had heavily pruned her camellia shrubs, leaving only a few feet of the main trunk with no branches remaining. She wondered, "Can camellias recover from such severe pruning?"

The good news for Kate—and anyone else who’s over-pruned their plants—is that many trees and shrubs can recover from extensive cuts.

How to Revive an Over-Pruned Tree or Shrub

While different plants have varying pruning needs, a general guideline is to avoid removing more than 15 to 20 percent of a tree's canopy at any one time. This is a helpful rule to keep in mind for future pruning tasks.

However, if you've already cut back too much, don’t panic. Follow this step-by-step approach to help your plant recover:

1. Identify Your Plant: The type of plant you’ve pruned is crucial. Some shrubs can be cut back to the ground and still bounce back as if nothing happened, while others might struggle to survive severe pruning.
2. Be Patient: If the tree wasn’t severely weakened or diseased, it should be able to produce new growth over time. However, don’t expect to see new blooms immediately—regrowth might take a year or more, and it could be a couple of years before the plant fully recovers.
3. Seek Professional Advice: Consulting with an ISA Certified Arborist® can give you insight into whether your tree is likely to recover or if further intervention is needed.
4. Support the Tree's Health: With its branches removed, your tree may need a little extra care. Ensure it gets enough water, especially before winter sets in, and keep it mulched to enrich the soil. You may also need to fertilize the tree to give it an additional nutrient boost.
5. Guide New Growth: As new branches begin to grow, you can use a pruning method called thinning to help shape the canopy and strengthen the tree’s main branches.
6. Avoid Repeating the Mistake: Once a tree has been over-pruned, it can take a long time to regain its former shape and vitality. To prevent this from happening again, consider asking the right questions before hiring someone to prune your trees.

If you're unsure about how to best care for your over-pruned tree, consider requesting a free consultation to get tailored advice on how to nurture it back to health.