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"Less is more with trees," he said, noting that"it's sort of a vicious cycle of regrowth after over pruning a tree.""When you top a tree, the physiological response from the tree is to produce a lot of what are called water sprouts," Vejar said."When you remove its photosynthetic array, all of its leaves and canopy, you're robbing the tree of its ability to feed itself," Vejar said.
All is not lost, even if you have topped a tree. With time, patience and the help of an arborist in a process called"restorative pruning," the stronger new branches are nurtured to help the tree regain its health.