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Topping means cutting a tree’s main stems and branches back to stubs to make it shorter. It’s still common, and it’s one of the most harmful things that can be done to a tree.

What topping is

A topped tree has had its leader and main branches cut back to stubs at an arbitrary height, without regard to where the branches join. It goes by other names too: heading, hat-racking, rounding over. The result is the same: large cuts in the wrong places.

Why it harms the tree

It starves the tree. Topping removes a large share of the leaves that make the tree’s food, all at once.
The stubs decay. Cuts made between branches can’t seal well, so decay can move down into the stems over the following years.
The regrowth is weak. A topped tree pushes out dense sprouts just below each cut. They grow fast and are only attached near the surface of the wood, so they break off more easily as they get heavier.
Bark can scald. Suddenly exposed bark can be damaged by sun.

The “safer tree” myth

People usually top a tree to make it safer or to keep it away from a house. In the short term it’s shorter. Within a few years the sprouts are back to the old height, now with decay at the cuts and weakly attached limbs on top. The tree often ends up more of a risk than before, and it needs repeated work to keep it in check.

A topped tree is shorter for a season or two. Then it’s taller, weaker and decaying at every cut.

What to ask for instead

There are better ways to deal with a tree that’s too big for its space:

Crown reduction. Branches are cut back to a smaller side branch that is large enough to take over, often described as at least a third of the diameter of the part removed. The tree is smaller but keeps its natural shape.
Crown thinning. Selected branches are removed to reduce weight and wind resistance.
Clearance pruning. Branches over a roof, driveway or path are cut back to a suitable point.
Replacing the tree. Sometimes the honest answer is that the tree is the wrong tree for the spot, and removing it and planting something that fits is the better long-term choice.

A Koala Tree climber working between the stems of a large tree — Pruning to a branch that can take over keeps the tree’s shape.

If your tree has already been topped

A topped tree can often be improved with restoration pruning over several years. The strongest, best-placed sprouts are kept to become new branches, and the rest are thinned out gradually. It takes patience, and some topped trees have too much decay to be worth restoring. An assessment will tell you which you have.

Questions to ask a tree company

Will an ISA Certified Arborist plan or oversee the work?
Which cuts will you make, and where?
Do you follow current industry pruning standards?
Will the tree keep its natural shape?

If the answer involves cutting the whole tree back to a set height, that’s topping.

Key takeaways

Topping, in five lines

Topping cuts stems to stubs at an arbitrary height.
It starves the tree and leaves cuts that decay.
The regrowth is fast and weakly attached, so the risk grows back.
Ask for crown reduction, thinning or clearance pruning instead.
Topped trees can sometimes be restored over several years.

This is general information. Every tree and site is different. For advice on a specific tree, get a free quote or book a Certified Arborist Assessment.

About the author

Jason Korkidakis

Jason is Koala Tree’s Owner and Lead Arborist in London, ON. He leads an 8-person crew and assesses trees for homeowners, condo boards and property managers.

ISA Certified Arborist ON-3263ATRAQ qualifiedPPQ qualified

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