BMP Pruning Vocab Flashcards
Branch
A shoot or stem arising from another branch or stem
Branch bark ridge
Raised strip of bark at the top of a branch union where the growth and expansion of the trunk or parent stem and adjoining branch push the bark into a ridge
Branch collar
The area of swelling at the union between a parent stem and a smaller branch
Branch protection zone
Chemically and physically modified tissue within the trunk and parent branch at the base of a smaller, subordinate branch that retards the spread of discoloration and decay from the subordinate stem into the trunk or parent branch
Branch removal cut (previously termed a thinning cut or removal cut)
Pruning cut that removes the smaller of two branches at a union, or a parent stem. Removal cuts retain the branch bark ridge or branch collar and do not create a stub.
Cambium
Thin layer(s) of meristematic cells that give rise (outward) to the phloem and (inward) to the xylem, increasing stem and root diameter.
Clean
Arboriculture term used to describe selective pruning to remove one or more of the following: dead, diseased, infested, and/or broken branches
Climbing Spurs
Sharp, pointed devices strapped to a climbers lower legs to assist in climbing poles or trees being removed. Also called spikes, gaffs, irons, hooks, or climbers
Closure (wound closure, close)
The process in a wood plant by which wound wood grows over a pruning cut or injury
Codominant stem / Codominant branch
Two or more branches of similar diameter arising from a common union and lacking a collar.
Compartmentalization
Natural defense process in trees by which chemical and physical boundaries are created that act to limit the spread of disease and decay organisms
Crown
Upper part of a tree, measured from the lowest branch, including all the branches and foliage
Culm
The stem of a grass or sedge, including the woody, hollow aerial stem of bamboo
Decay
1(noun) an area of wood that is undergoing decomposition
2(verb) decomposition of organic tissues by fungi or bacteria
Directional Pruning
Selective removal of branches to guide and/or discourage growth in a particular direction
Dominant leader/trunk/stem
The stem that grows much larger than all other stems and branches
Frond
Large, divided leaf structure found in palms and ferns
Espalier
A pruning system that trains plants to grow within a plane, such as along a wall or a fence
Flush Cut
A pruning cut that removes the branch bark ridge and/or branch collar, damaging the trunk or parent branch
Good structure / architecture/ form
Branch and trunk architecture resulting in a canopy form that resists failure
Heading
A pruning cut that removes a branch or stem between nodes (leaving a stub), to a bud, or to a live branch that is less than one third the diameter of the branch or stem being removed
Included Bark
Bark that becomes embedded in a union (crotch) between branch and trunk or between Codominant stems. Causes a weakness in the union.
Lateral
A branch arising from a larger stem or branch
Leader
Primary terminal shoot or trunk of a tree. Large, usually upright stem. A stem that dominates a portion of the crown by surprising lateral branches.
Lion-Tailing
Excessive removal of lower or interior branches on main scaffolds that results in a concentration of growth and foliage at branch ends. It is considered an unacceptable practice.
Live Crown Ratio
The ratio of the height of the crown containing live foliage to the overall height of the tree
Mature Trees
Trees that have reached at least 75 percent of their typical final height and spread
Mechanical pruning
Pruning with heavy equipment (not handheld) fitted with power saws or other cutting devices (e.g. saws mounted on booms or suspended from helicopter)
Natural growth habit
The inherent characteristic growth pattern and habit (form) of a tree, shrub, or vine I. It’s current location
Node
Slightly enlarged growth point on a stem where buds, shoots, and leaves arise
Palm
Monocotyledonous plant of the Arecacear family, generally with one or more unbranched trunks, with fronds emanating from a meristem at the top of the trunk
Palm Frond Skirt
One or more years accumulation of dead and drooping fronds at the bottom of the canopy and along the trunk of a palm
Parent Branch or Stem
A tree trunk or branch from which other branches or shoots grow
Peeling
1) removing dead petiole bases by cutting into live tissue (synonymous with shaving, skinning, or sanding). Not an acceptable practice
2) the tearing downward of bark or sapwood from the trunk or parent branch when the branch or stem was not precut
Petiole
Stalk or support axis of a leaf
Permanent branches
Branches that form the architectural framework of a tree. In structural pruning of trees, branches that will be left in place
Photosynthesis
Process in green plants by which light energy is used to form sugars from water and carbon dioxide
Phytotoxic
Term to describe a compound that is poisonous to a plants
Pleaching
Pruning system that trains one or more plants to achieve a desired shape or form through a combination of pruning and interweaving or tying small branches to one another, or to a preformed frame
Pollarding
A semi formal pruning system that maintains crown size by initial heading of branches on young trees or young portions of older trees, followed by removal of sprouts to their point of origin at appropriate intervals without disturbing the resulting pollard head.
Pruning
The selective removal of plant parts to achieve defined objectives
Reaction zone
Natural boundary formed chemically within a tree to separate damaged wood from existing healthy wood. Important in the process of compartmentalization.
Reduce
Reduce the length of a stem or branch using a reduction cut
Reduction Cut
A pruning cut that removes the larger of two or more branches or stems, or one or more Codominant stems, to a live lateral branch, typically at least one-third the diameter of the stem or branch being removed. Reduction cuts are referred to as branch reduction, reduction, or reduce (previously called cutting to a lateral)
Rejuvenation
Removal of overmature , dead, or dying stems of a shrub, near the ground, to stimulate new stem development
Restoring
The process of pruning to improve the structure, form, and appearance of trees that have been improperly trimmed, vandalized, or damaged.
Retrenchment
Crown reduction process involving one or more pruning events to manage loss of support or crown decline.
Sanitation Pruning
The removal of branches that are infested with insects or disease pathogens
Scaffold branch
A branch that is among the largest diameter on the tree and will remain on the tree to maturity
Shearing
Cutting leaves, shoots, and branches to a desired plane, shape, or form, using tools, designed for that purpose, as with topiary and pleaching pruning systems.
Shoot
New stem or branch growth on a plant
Specifications
Detailed plans, requirements, prescriptions, and statements of particular procedures used to define, measure, and guide work.
Stem
Woody structure bearing foliage and buds that give rise to other stems (branches)
Starch
Chain of sugar molecules linked together that serves as a form of energy storage in plants
Structural Pruning
Pruning to influence the orientation, spacing, growth rate, strength of attachment, and ultimate size of branches and stems.
Stub
Portion of a branch or stem remaining after a heading cut, branch breakage, or branch death
Subordination
The removal of the end of a branch or stem to slow its growth relative to its parent, or to a favored branch or stem
Sucker
Shoot arising from the roots. Contrast with water sprout
Throwline
Thin, lightweight cord attached to a throw bag or throwing ball used to set climbing or rigging lines in a tree.
Topiary
A formal pruning system that uses a combination of pruning, supporting l, and training branches to orient a plant into a desired shape
Topping
The reduction of tree size by heading large, live branches and leaders without regard to long-term tree health or structural integrity.
Tree
A woody perennial plant with a single or multiple trunks, which typically develop a mature size of over several inches in diameter and 10 feet or more in height.
Trunk
The main stem or stems of a tree
Union (crotch)
The junction of stem and branch or between stems
Water sprout (sprout)
Upright, epicormic shoots arising from the trunk or branches of a plant above the root graft or soil line. Incorrectly called a sucker.
Wound
An opening that is created when the bark of a live branch or stem is cut, penetrated, damaged, or removed
Wound dressing
Compound applied to tree wounds of pruning cuts
