Hi, please help me identify the pictured tree/shrub. We recently purchased the home, and the landscaping is pre-existing. I want to cut these down to about 4.5 ft tall, however I do not want to kill or put the plant into shock. It is covering our house number making it not visible from the street and I would also like to add a flag at the front of the home. The current trunk is about 4" in diameter. Thanks in advance for any help provided.
Name: Daisy I Reno, Nv (Zone 6b) Not all who wander are lost
I believe they are Yews (Taxus). They take very well to pruning.
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and proclaiming...."WOW What a Ride!!" -Mark Frost
President: Orchid Society of Northern Nevada
Webmaster: osnnv.org
I topped both of my Podocarpus when I purchased my home years ago and both survived and look great maintained for my purpose at 8' to this day
I like the look that they are now for your entryway. Maybe a pain to keep them maintained at that height yourself, as I have to trim mine about every four weeks standing on a step ladder.
Name: Daisy I Reno, Nv (Zone 6b) Not all who wander are lost
Yes, Podocarpus. That's what I was thinking. Taxus is the native California Yew.
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and proclaiming...."WOW What a Ride!!" -Mark Frost
President: Orchid Society of Northern Nevada
Webmaster: osnnv.org
Name: John Scott County, KY (Zone 5b) You can't have too many viburnums..
Hi MistyWind:
Those plants can probably be reduced to the scale you stated, but to do it all at once would be contrary to your stated objective to not shock the plant. You could gradually reduce the plant's size over a period of growing seasons to overcome that potentiality. But you may not wish to invest that much time to achieve the stated goal.
You may be wiser to follow a prescription like this:
** remove the oversized (from your perspective) existing plants
** do all the construction and installation in that area of other things you desire (flag, etc.)
** then re-plant with that species or something else) at or near the size you would prefer
** maintain the new planting at the dimensions that suit you
What you may find along the way...
You discover other things you might like at your front door instead of a large evergreen. You won't risk damaging/killing the plant you intended to preserve, and spend a lot of effort for nothing - and have to look at it suffering daily.
There is no shame or peril in editing a landscape.
