Like the popular magnolia, the Judas tree (or heart or love tree, as it is sometimes called due to the characteristic shape of its leaves) is also one of the spring-flowering trees. Just as with the magnolia, the Judas tree should be pruned as little as possible, even if - in contrast to the magnolias - it actually tolerates pruning very well.
How should you properly prune a Judas tree?
A Judas tree only needs one pruning, which is carried out in the spring before the flower buds break. Remove diseased and dead trees, frost-damaged branches and inward-facing branches. Do not prune the tree too much to avoid reducing flowering.
Judas tree just needs pruning
Since the Judas tree mainly flowers on shoots and branches that are at least two years old, regular pruning is basically not necessary except for training and care purposes. Quite the opposite, because by cutting vigorously you would only deprive the tree of its flowering plants and thus reduce the flowering unnecessarily. Nevertheless, the Judas tree benefits from pruning, which is carried out with clean, sharp and disinfected tools in spring, shortly before the flower buds break. In doing so, you remove
- sick and dead trees
- twigs and branches damaged by frost
- shoots competing with the main stem
- as well as crossing and inward-facing branches and twigs.
As a rule, it should not be necessary to thin out the crown, as the Judas tree grows a little looser from the start. However, this care measure may be necessary for older specimens if they have not been pruned for several years.
Check growth before planting
In order to have to prune this beautiful tree as little as possible, you should pay attention to a suitable location with enough space when planting it. Depending on the type and variety, Judas trees can grow up to six meters or higher and grow accordingly in width. These are by no means slow-growing plants, as is so often claimed - annual growth increases of 50 centimeters and significantly more are not uncommon.
Training Judas Tree
It looks completely different if you want to train your Judas tree to grow in a certain way, for example as a trellis, as a standard tree, as a shrub or even as a bonsai. In this case, you can cut the plant back by up to a third and shape it into the desired shape. With the exception of a few varieties, Judas trees are quite tolerant of pruning.
Prune the hanging Judas tree only slightly
In contrast to other Judas trees, a hanging Judas tree (e.g. the “Lavender Twist” variety) should if possible not be pruned or only for care purposes, otherwise the growth may suffer.
Tip
A care or pruning (€14.00 on Amazon) should be done on a mild but overcast day in February / March with temperatures above zero degrees Celsius.
