When is the Best Time of Year to Prune a Monterey Cypress Tree?

What time of year should you prune a Monterey cypress tree? Why prune a Monterey cypress tree? And what are the most prevalent Monterey Cypress tree diseases? Read on to discover all you need to know…

The Monterey cypress tree, of the official name Cupressus macrocarpa, is a large evergreen tree, noted for its columnar or narrow crown and dark green, aromatic leaves.

Monterey cypress is known to grow to heights of up to 40 metres with a trunk diameter often reaching two to three metres. The tree’s spread is wide reaching and naturally irregular and flat-topped, usually because of the strong winds typical to its native area. Native to California, Monterey Cypress has come to thrive in the UK, in particular in warmer, coastal climates. It was the original hedging conifer of choice until the Leyland cypress took over in popularity.

The name Monterey comes from the fact that in the wild, the tree is confined to two small populations near to Monterey and Carmel in California. These populations are still home to trees as old as 2,000 years and represent what was once an extensive west coast forest.

Why prune a Monterey cypress tree?       

Monterey cypress is generally used as a hedging conifer. When planted well, as with the majority of hedging plants, it will call for little attention. However, it is fast growing, achieving around 40 to 60cm per year, so if space is limited, light pruning to keep the tree in check is a good idea.

Pruning is generally done once a year to maintain an informal, natural looking shape, or more frequently for a neat, more formal looking hedge.

Pruning also helps to preserve the health of the tree. Removing any crossing or malformed branches is good practice as this will promote a nice, strong structure as well as good airflow. Removing diseased or decaying branches is also a wise move and this should be done as soon as possible due to the potential risk.

When is the best time for Monterey cypress pruning?

Monterey cypress pruning should only be carried out between the months of April and August.

Always remember that conifer trees such as the Monterey cypress will not stand up to hard pruning. Be sure never to cut into old wood as it will not regrow. Only prune the young green shoots.

What to look for when pruning a Monterey cypress tree

When pruning a Monterey cypress, look out for brown patches. These could be down to various factors such as scale insects, the cypress aphid, canker, adverse growing conditions or over-pruning.

Cypress aphid can lead to dieback of conifer hedges and has become a significant problem since the 1980s, especially on Leyland cypress. Look out for drying up and browning of the foliage come late summer.

The Monterey cypress is also susceptible to coryneum canker which is caused by the fungus Seiridium cardinal. It can cause branch die-back, but is more common on larger trees rather than smaller hedges where it is relatively rare.

Tree Preservation Orders

You must not go ahead with any tree work where a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) is in operation. You will need to look into this before proceeding because if there is one then you will need to apply to the local authority for permission to undertake works. Such permission can take up to eight weeks to be granted. Furthermore, if the tree is located in a conservation area, you will need official permission before undertaking works of any kind.

The importance of Monterey cypress pruning expertise

If you are eager to ensure your Monterey cypress tree is well taken care of and you would also like to make sure any diseases or pest infestations are identified in good time so that they can be resolved quickly then you should engage the assistance of a qualified tree surgeon.

Tree surgeons are professionally trained and qualified specialists who know precisely when and how to carry out Monterey cypress pruning and they also know how to identify and deal with any signs of disease.

When selecting a tree surgeon, be sure to demand checkable references and certificates that prove the qualifications they claim to have. Also ask to see insurance documents for reassurance you are covered for the work being undertaken. Lastly, wherever possible, try to engage a tree surgeon with Trading Standards and local authority approval for a guarantee of quality and value for money.

If you have a Monterey cypress tree that needs pruning, why not get in touch with T.H. Tree Services? As fully qualified and highly experienced Trading Standards and local authority approved tree surgeons, we can offer specialist expertise across all aspects of Monterey cypress tree pruning. For a free, no-obligation quotation, contact our helpful experts on 01268 642814 or get in touch here.

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