I need to know about the Lipo Pine tree growth patterns.

[ForTheArborist]

Are needleless branches on Lipo Pines ever going to grow back?

That is two of these pines - both in tandem. I've been told by a guy that they are the species of Lippo Pines. I can't find anything online by that name.

The job is to lighten up the loads, and then correct the lighting that is blocked out by higher branches after tipping off the bigger branches so that they can grow back.

The guy is having this done because under the winds a large branch fell off, and toar down the whole side to the back.

I want to say that anywhere the branch or trunk is still alive stems and needles will grow back, and that the guy will have a bushy tree all the way around again. I'm not sure about this though.

I noticed that at the top of these trees stem and needle growth is very high, but it is not at the bottom. I'm not sure if that is simply because of there being no light at the bottom, or that is the growth nature of these trees.

What ever the rule is with the growth on these trees whether it's specific to this species of pine or all pines it will absolutely determine how I trim these now and in the future.

Thanks

 

[jefflovstrom]

Lipo pine? Try' Aleppo Pine'. Pinus halepensis.
Jeff

 

[jomoco]

To answer your question FTA, no, an alleppo pine will not sucker after being cutback like a canary island pine does.

Clean out the dead and thin it out, tip back long laterals. This is the time of year to do it, when no bugs are flyin.

Have you even bought a western garden book yet you slacker?

jomoco

 

[ForTheArborist]

Oh, Allepo.

I'll put in an order for the Westers Garden Book.

I suppose I have to tell the HO that his tree is going to always be bare on one side.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Most conifers have a low tendency to regenerate from old wood. They are what are called radial growers, which is they only put on new growth from the buds on the tips.

So, if we cut off all the tips we cut off all the buds and the branch will be shed by the tree once the needle cast cycle is finished. So you need to know how long a given species will hold its needles when doing a pruning plan.

Up here white pine is popular, since it casts needles every year we can't over prune a limb even if it is to be considered a temporary one that will be removed in a few years. Most spruce have a 3-5 year needle cast cycle, so we can over prune temporary limbs on these.

Taxus and most cedar types will sprout on old wood, so we can hack these back to rather large wood, as long as the client knows it will look ugly for a season or two.