Native Plants

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

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Friday - February 11, 2005

From: San Marcos, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Pruning, Trees
Title: Pruning a Wafer Ash to make it upright
Answered by: Nan Hampton and Joe Marcus

QUESTION:

How do I trim a Wafer Ash? It lays on the ground. Is that normal? Does it need to be upright?

ANSWER:

it is not uncommon for a wafer ash (Ptelea trifoliata) to droop. It is perfectly fine for it to grow along the ground if you like it that way. However, if you don't want it to do this, it is possible to shape it. It may take considerable pruning and patience to achieve a more upright tree depending on the size of the tree and the severity of the problem.

You can see some hints for pruning the wafer ash from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Horticulture Department.

From the Image Gallery

Wafer ash
Ptelea trifoliata