Raise low mesquite branches in late winter. Do not strip the inner wood.
Raise low branches in late winter — do not strip the inner wood
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| When | Late winter, before the spring flush, when the structure is easy to see | Do not strip the canopy in summer heat |
| Young tree | Wait a year or two so the trunk can thicken; then raise for a walk | Do not skin the lower trunk the first season |
| Inner wood | Leave twigs along the limbs so they shade the bark | Do not strip the interior so only tufts sit at the tips |
| Thorns | Wear gloves and long sleeves | Do not prune bare-handed over a path |
Wait until late winter, before new growth, so you can see the structure. Raise low branches off walks and doors. velvet mesquite can be trained to one trunk, or left as a picturesque multi-trunk tree. [1] [2] Leave the first year or two alone so the trunk thickens, then raise only what people need to pass. [3] Wear gloves. The stems carry thorns. [4] An open-grown tree can keep a low skirt of fine twigs if it sits off a path. A patio tree needs that raise so the spines stay off people.
When should I prune a mesquite?
In late winter, before the spring flush. Raise low branches then. Do not strip the inner wood in summer heat.
How to prune mesquite
Use sharp tools on a cool day. Cut one limb, then step back before you take another.
- Wait until late winter, before new growth. Leave a young tree alone for the first year or two unless a branch blocks a walk.
- Raise low branches so people can pass. Wear gloves.
- Cut crossing or dead wood. Keep inner twigs on the limbs so they shade the bark and keep weight off the tips.
- Stop. Do not top the tree, and do not chase every new shoot through the heat.
Why keep the inner twigs?
Inner wood shades the bark and keeps weight along the limb. If you strip it, the bark can scorch and the tips get heavy in wind.
What fails a mesquite prune
The usual prune problems are a summer strip, a topped leader, and inner wood cut so only tufts sit at the tips. If last year’s cut left bare limbs, stop cutting and let the interior shade the bark. Site and water live on How to Grow Mesquite.
If the inner wood was stripped last summer, stop cutting and let the interior shade the bark.
FAQ
Should I prune in the first year?
Usually no. Leave lower growth for a year or two so the trunk thickens. Raise later, when people need to pass.
What about mistletoe?
Cut the clump if the weight bothers you. It grows inside the wood, so it can come back. There is no useful spray.
Can I top a mesquite to hold height?
No. A topped tree pushes weak sprouts and opens the bark to sun. Buy a smaller kind if the opening is tight.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum -
https://www.desertmuseum.org/visit/sheets/Provel.pdf - [2] Texas A&M Forest Service -
https://texastreeplanting.tamu.edu/display_onetree.aspx?tid=68 - [3] Arizona Municipal Water Users Association -
https://www.amwua.org/landscaping-with-style/maintain/pruning - [4] PlantNative -
https://plantnative.org/native-plants/honey-mesquite-prosopis-glandulosa.htm
This note is part of Prosopis Guides.
More pruning timing notes by plant live in Pruning Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors