Tree Terminology

Need-to-Know Glossary Terms for Tree Care

If you're new to home-ownership or just beginning to explore the world of landscaping and gardening, you'll soon realize that trees play a vital role in your property's beauty and health. They need regular attention to flourish and reach their full potential. A good starting point is getting familiar with common tree care terms. By familiarizing yourself with these terms, you'll be able to conduct research more effectively and have more productive conversations with tree care specialists.

Continue reading and you will find a helpful glossary full of need-to-know tree care terms used for residential and commercial tree service.

Tree Care Terminology

Tree care involves the necessary steps and procedures for ensuring the health and vitality of trees. It encompasses regular checks for pests, insects, and tree diseases, as well as regular maintenance tasks like tree trimming, pruning, fertilizing, watering, and other essential practices. Feeling a little overwhelmed by all this information? No problem at all! We'll break down these terms and more in the following sections!

Crown or “Canopy” – This is the upper part of a tree. It is measured from the lowest branch to the longest, most outward branch, and again to the highest point of the tree. This includes all branches, leaves, and foliage.

Tree Trimming – Shortening the limbs and twigs of trees for the purpose of adding light and air flow, removing dead or disease branches, reducing obstructions, promoting new growth, and more.

Tree Pruning – Selectively removing branches or stems for the betterment of the whole tree. This is done for the same purposes as trimming.

Tree Thinning – This is a preferred method of tree pruning. Selectively removing interior growth and thinning out branch tips.

Tree Shaping – To selectively trim foliage and branches of trees to achieve an appealing or desired shape.

Tree Topping – To completely remove all top portions of a tree. It is considered by many to be an unnecessary and highly-detrimental practice.

Tree Pollard – This is a drastic means of tree pruning that involves the removal of all green growth and foliage, giving trees a “hat rack” appearance.

Shirt Raise – To prune only the lower branches and foliage of trees. This enables better access, reduces obstructions, and promotes more sunlight.

CODIT – Compartmentalization of Decay in Trees.

Dead-Wooding – Removing all dead, dying or diseased branches, twigs, limbs, and growth on a tree.

Root Prune – Severing sections of tree roots that pose hazardous or structural threats to its surroundings.

Stump Grinding – Shaving or cutting down a tree stump so that it is ground level.

Stump Removal – Extracting a whole tree stump from the ground.

Deep Root Fertilization – Inserting a probe (soil needle) 8 to 12 inches into the soil below the base of a tree, and then injecting a liquid fertilizer directly to the root system to provide additional nutrients for a tree.

Tree Spraying – To spray liquid insecticides and fungicides on trees to protect from pest infestations and tree diseases.