I have a beautiful standard smoke bush that is in need of pruning for the winter. It is getting top heavy and I don't want it to get damaged by snow or wind. What shape should I go for and how much should I prune off? The trunk of the standard is 3 feet tall and 1 and a half inches in diameter. The branches are about 4 feet tall and 4 feet wide. Will it get much taller? The fall colour is gorgeous right now, so I have been waiting a bit till I prune it. Any suggestions?
Re: Smoke bush standard pruning I've not noticed any issues with snow/wind on these plants here, and we get a fair bit of both. Once the leaves have gone, as they have now on my plant, there is not much to catch the snow or wind and cause problems. On the other hand, this is definitely a plant that can be pruned with abandon. In my experience, any removed branches will be quickly replaced with new and generally more attractive growth. Choose whatever shape you prefer.
