Pruning Low Limbs on Mature Chinese Pistache: Safe Techniques

Question: 20-year-old Chinese pistache has three large low limbs forcing us to duck. Can we remove them safely?

Answer

Yes. Remove at the branch collar (~¼ inch from trunk). For limbs >6 inches diameter, use a three-cut method: undercut 1 ft out, top-cut to remove weight, then final cut at collar. Paint wounds >6 inches with dressing; smaller cuts heal naturally. See NCSU pruning guide.