Why Is Tree Topping Considered Bad?
Topping creates weak growth, structural problems, and long-term stress.
What’s Actually Happening
Topping removes the upper canopy indiscriminately. This causes the tree to respond with rapid, weakly attached shoots known as sucker growth.
These shoots:
- Grow quickly due to stress
- Have poor structural attachment
- Often fail in high wind or when growing too horizontally
Trees that are topped often grow back quickly because they are trying to restore the canopy size needed to sustain their original structure.
How to Handle It
Instead of topping:
- Use canopy reduction
- Use structural pruning
- Remove and replace if size is no longer appropriate
See Ask an Arborist: What Is Sucker Growth for more information.
Bottom Line
Topping creates more long-term problems than it solves.