Native Plants

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Wednesday - September 02, 2015

From: gulfport, MS
Region: Southeast
Topic: Pruning, Trees
Title: Pruning Spruce Pine (Prunus glabra)
Answered by: Anne Van Nest

QUESTION:

I have a Pinus glabra/spruce pine that is approx. 7' tall. It's limbs are few and some have been broken. Will trimming back the longer limbs to give it a Christmas shape harm this tree?

ANSWER:

Spruce pine is a 100 ft. evergreen with bark unlike that of other pines. At first smooth and gray, it later becomes closely ridged, suggestive of spruces. Needles are short, 1-4 in., and in bundles of two.

The USDA says that Spruce pine will reach 30-50 feet in open areas and it grows slowly. The trunk often twists with age and becomes irregular so don't expect it to create a perfect Christmas tree shape as it matures.

The Virginia Cooperative Extension Service has a good information sheet on pruning evergreen trees that will help with training your tree while it is young.Certainly prune any broken limbs. You can prune the longer branches but only where there are needles still present.

From the Image Gallery

Spruce pine
Pinus glabra