formative pruning

Pruning of young trees to modify their form at maturity, either to avoid future structural defects (for instance by singling a twin-stem) or to create a desired cultivated tree form. The term is reserved for young trees because all pruning could be said to change form.

aftercare,
cultivated tree form,
maturity (whole tree),
pruning,
pruning (fruit trees),
structural defect,
training

This definition is abridged from A – Z of tree terms: A companion to British arboriculture.
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