Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Lady Lace tree huge

saraht2911saraht2911 Posts: 10
in Problem solving
Hi my lady lace tree is 10 years old. It's supposed 2.5m in 10 yrs is now 4m +
It's outside our lounge window and above the height of our bungalow roof.
We love our tree but need it controlled how much can we prune it? And how?
It flowers profusely, And the wild life love it.
Regards Sarah
«13

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    edited October 2023
    Unfortunately, when info says 2.5 m after ten years, that doesn't mean it's the eventual size. 
    I don't know what a lady lace tree is though, so I can't help with pruning. I'd need to look up the correct name of it.  :)

    I see it's a robinia, and there are a few varieties ,including a dwarf one, but I'm assuming it isn't that one. Info here from the RHS which gives pruning advice

    https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/15914/robinia-pseudoacacia/details
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • saraht2911saraht2911 Posts: 10
    Also known as false Acacia.
    Twisty branches and white pea flowers hanging like wisteria.
  • thevictorianthevictorian Posts: 1,279
    I don't know this tree but normal robinia can be coppice or pollarded. A quick Google suggests your tree won't get much larger but if it needs pruning then I'd consider what you need to achieve and where the foliage is. On the images I see it grows with a reasonable bear trunk which would suggest pollard in is the way to keep this effect rather than create multi growing stems. If you can add a picture it may be easier to advise. The link @Fairygirl added shows when it's best to prune and following which group. 
  • LG_LG_ Posts: 4,360
    Ashwood Nurseries have a little advice also - it sounds like it's similar to Prunus in the timing for pruning.
    https://www.ashwoodnurseries.com/shop/robinia-pseudoacacia-lace-lady.html 
    'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
    - Cicero
  • saraht2911saraht2911 Posts: 10

  • saraht2911saraht2911 Posts: 10
    This tree was bought as said it was suitable for small gardens and didn't grow large, and was slow growing. We got it from a specialist tree nursary locally. But it now no longer is in buisness.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I think you could raise the crown on it - ie  by removing the lower branches. Whether it would look right is another matter. 
    When I looked, there are variations on eventual size, depending on variety. Some info was saying it can be huge, so you would need to know the variety for more accurate advice on that, but the conditions and climate always affect that too. 
    Planting any tree so close to a house is always going to be problematic. You may have to prune according to the info and see what happens. I think you might need someone reliably experienced for that though. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • saraht2911saraht2911 Posts: 10
    This is it about 5 years ago.
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    edited October 2023
    Lace Lady or, another name, Twisty Baby, is supposed to be a dwarf form of pseudoacacia, but, although yours looks like Lace Lady and the leaves look the same, I think it must be a case of mistaken identity. It isn't the ordinary sort of pseudoacacia though, I had two in my last garden and the leaves and flowers aren't the same. They grew quite big.

    I'm afraid I think you should ask for advice from a tree surgeon. It looks as though it will grow too big to be that close to a house.

    You have to edit to reduce the size of photos as there is a glitch on this site.










    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • saraht2911saraht2911 Posts: 10
    Thank you so much for your help.
Sign In or Register to comment.