Pollarding a Tree: The Do's and Don'ts You Need to Know

Pollarding is an alternative technique used for pruning trees. It helps in keeping the trees, as well as shrubs, stay in their space. Pollarding is a very complex technique, and there are many imperative points that you should always keep in mind. It demands proper care and hands-on experience to be able to prune a tree with utter perfection.

There are certain points that should always be kept in mind while pruning the trees. The whole process should be performed with an expert's supervision or guidance. We would always recommend you seek professional arborist services to carry out the process. The expert arborists at “Aesthetic Tree and Hedge Services” take care of all the imperative factors to ensure that the pollarding is done with complete perfection.

The Do’s of Pollarding:

The important things that should always be kept in mind while pollarding a tree include the following.

• Always, we repeat always make sure to hire anexpert companyfor pollarding of trees. Without proper experience, your trees will get damaged and eventually destroyed.
• Make sure that the whole process is carried out by keeping the mandatory guidelines in mind. Because a little bit of discrepancy can destroy your tree and cut short its wellbeing and life span.
• Ensure that the right set of tools and equipment are being used to prune the trees. Without proper equipment, the trees will not be properly pruned.
• Always makes sure to prune the trees when really needed. If there is no need to prune the trees, don't do it. Unnecessary, improper, and excessive pruning can cause damage to your trees.
• After every storm or heavy rain, make sure to get your trees evaluated by a reliable arborist company. See if there is any requirement of pruning after the extreme weather. If so, get it done with a professional’s help and guidance.

The Don’ts of Pollarding:

Since pollarding is a very complex and minute process, it should only be performed by an expert. There are certain things that should always be avoided in the case of pollarding. Some of the most imperative ones are as under:

• Never go for pollarding unless and until it becomes unavoidable. Unnecessary pollarding can be hazardous for the trees.
• Never remove excess than twenty-five percent of foliage, especially when it is the season of growth.
• Other than removing the destroyed or dead branches, never even consider pollarding a tree that has been planted since less or equal to a year ago.
• Never use wound paint; it is of no good for the trees.
• Never root out the lion-tailing of the trees during pollarding; it kills trees.
• Never leave behind the plant, shrub, or tree stubs during pollarding. It destroys the trees by causing further decay.
• Carry out the whole process by yourself, without seeking professional’s help.

All these things are important to be kept in mind and implemented while carrying out the pollarding of a tree.

Expert Perspective: What Our ISA-Certified Arborists See in the Field

At Aesthetic Tree & Hedge Services, our ISA-certified arborists have been performing pollarding work across Greater Vancouver for over 20 years. Pollarding is one of the most misunderstood pruning techniques and one of the most frequently botched by inexperienced crews. Below, we address the questions our clients ask most often.

Which Trees Can Be Pollarded in Vancouver?

Not all trees respond well to pollarding. In the Vancouver climate, strong candidates include willows (Salix spp.), poplars and cottonwoods, maples (Acer spp.), linden and basswood (Tilia spp.), and London plane trees. These species all produce the epicormic shoots needed to re-foliate after a pollarding cut.

Species that should NOT be pollarded include conifers (western red cedar, Douglas fir, hemlock, pine), birches, cherries, and most fruit trees. These do not produce epicormic growth after heavy cutting, and pollarding typically kills them or causes irreversible decline.

Can Pollarding Kill a Tree?

Yes. Improper pollarding absolutely can kill a tree, and this is one of the most common calls we receive. There are five specific scenarios where pollarding leads to tree death or irreversible damage:

1. Pollarding a non-suitable species. Attempting to pollard a conifer or birch removes its ability to re-foliate. Without leaves, the tree cannot photosynthesize and will die within one to two growing seasons.

2. Removing more than 25% of the canopy at once. This depletes carbohydrate reserves and leaves the tree unable to sustain itself. Our arborists follow ANSI A300 pruning standards, which set this threshold for good reason.

3. Cutting at the wrong location. True pollarding cuts are made at predetermined knuckle points where the tree has built up callus tissue from previous cuts. Cutting below these points into old wood without epicormic buds leaves the tree unable to regenerate.

4. Pollarding a stressed or diseased tree. A tree already dealing with root compaction, drought stress, or structural failure does not have the energy reserves to recover from heavy pruning. We always conduct a full health assessment before recommending pollarding.

5. Abandoning pollarding after the first cycle. Once a tree is pollarded, the regrowth forms weakly attached water sprouts. If you skip cycles, these grow into large, heavy limbs with poor branch unions, creating a more dangerous tree than you started with. Pollarding is a long-term commitment, not a one-time fix.

Pollarding done correctly by a qualified arborist is a sustainable, healthy pruning system. Pollarding done incorrectly is one of the most damaging things you can do to a tree.

When Is the Best Time to Pollard a Tree in Vancouver?

In Vancouver, late winter to early spring (February through mid-March) is optimal for most pollarding work. This is just before bud break, when carbohydrate reserves are at their peak and the tree is primed to push new growth from its pollard points. It also reduces exposure to fungal pathogens that thrive in warm, wet conditions.

Maples are an exception. They are better pollarded in mid-summer after the first leaf flush has hardened off, avoiding the heavy sap bleed that occurs during active sap rise. Avoid autumn pollarding for any species: wounds heal slowly through winter and remain exposed to fungal infection for months.

How Often Should You Pollard a Tree?

Frequency depends on species and growth rate. Willows and poplars benefit from annual pollarding given their rapid growth. Maples and lindens can go two to three years between cycles. Ornamental trees in formal settings are often pollarded every one to two years.

The key rule: never let more than five years pass between cycles once you have started. Water sprouts from pollard knuckles are weakly attached. Left to grow large, they become structural liabilities. Regular cycles keep regrowth manageable and the tree healthy.

Professional Pollarding in Vancouver by ISA-Certified Arborists

Aesthetic Tree & Hedge Services provides pollarding throughout Greater Vancouver, including North Vancouver, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Richmond, and Surrey. Our ISA-certified and TRAQ-qualified arborists follow ANSI A300 standards on every job. Contact us for a free assessment. We will tell you honestly whether pollarding is right for your tree and what the long-term management plan looks like.