Tree Care Basics: A Starter Guide

Five Reasons to Raise the Crown of Your Tree

28 January 2022

Johnni Knight

Crown raising is a pruning technique that requires the trimming away of branches lower on the trunk so that the main branching crown is higher off the ground than it was previously. The technique can be completed in a single session if there are only a few branches to remove in order to raise the crown. If more significant pruning is necessary to raise the crown height as desired, then the pruning may need to take place over a couple of years in order to avoid stressing the tree. 

1. Blocked Passages

One of the main reasons to raise a tree canopy is if overhanging branches are blocking sidewalks, garden paths, your driveway, or even the road. Branches growing too low on the canopy should be removed to raise the canopy to the height of the main type of traffic that needs to pass beneath the tree, whether it's foot traffic, passenger vehicles, or people on bicycles. 

2. Low Hanging Hazards

Sometimes the issue is only a few branches that are situated too low, thus causing a hazard. Branches that can whip someone in the face as they walk by, for example, are a hazard. Branches that droop downward, instead of arching upward, are also a hazard because they are more prone to breakage unless this is the normal growth habit of the tree (as is the case with weeping willows, for example).

3. Scrappy Growth

Some trees produce a lot of small, scrappy branches along the trunk and below the main canopy branches. These branches are often weak and twiggy, but if left to grow a few may develop into full-size branches below the main canopy. Trimming off the twig and suckers as they form, flush to the trunk, ensures a properly raised crown and a nicer-looking tree.

4. Building Protection

Low branches on trees growing near buildings can scrape against walls and windows, resulting in a risk of damaged siding and broken windows in the event of a major storm. Raising the canopy so that the branches begin above the roofline can protect the building from unnecessary tree damage.

5. View Blockage

Sometimes all you want is a nice view, and a tree positioned right in front of your windows can ruin that. Raising the canopy can enable you to save both the tree and view, since the main lattice of tree branches will begin above the window once the crown raising pruning is finished.

Contact a tree trimming service if you would like to raise the crown of a landscaping tree in your yard.

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