New Thoughts about Coppicing


There are 3 woody plants with which I have practiced yearly coppicing: Catalpa Aurea, Physocarpus Diablo, and Cotinus Coggyria- GRace and Palace Purple.This year I did not coppice the cotinus or the catalpa, and I am thrilled with the results- for the first time- ta da!- FLOWERS!! and such striking ones at that! now, the plants are, of course, bigger than in coppicing years- but in their particular spots, this is fine.the plants each provide a strong color beacon that really pays off as you approach them.I have seen the handsome flowers that can result when physocarp. are not heavily pruned and I think I prefer the look to the no-flowers one.So I'm thinking that I will coppice my catalpa ,physocarpus and cotinus every OTHER year, so i get beaut flowers one year and still maintain for them a habit of dense tight growth.