Garrya as a tree?

Warwickshire, United Kingdom

I once saw a garrya elliptica growing as a tree and it looked wonderful. Mine is stubbornly insisting on bushing and lowgrowing. Does anyone know what I can do to help it be more treelike and less shrubby? Should I take out those unwanted stems? It is very happy and thriving, only two or three years old.

On plant Garrya elliptica

4 Aug, 2018

Answers

Cottagekaren

Its pretty young, and it will take years to achieve, but if you remove (at the appropriate pruning time for this shrub) the lowest growth and do some gentle reshaping to the top...every year...eventually you will achieve your dream. I do this with a lot of my shrubs as I like light to come in underneath so I can underplant them. But it does mean you have to have patience, as some years you will end up removing almost as much as the plant has grown in its previous season. Good luck!

5 Aug, 2018