Trees, Shrubs and Conifers: pruning a star magnolia, 1 by snapple45

snapple45 wrote:
This is a Magnolia x loebneri 'Dr. Merill' at 15 yrs. being slowly pruned to raise the canopy and allow visibility of some rhododendrons planted behind it. I'm not finished. I plan on removing three more lower limbs over the next six years (one every other year). This year was a pruning year. It would much rather be a shrub. The end result might not be what you expect. Take a look at the next shot. While I'm mostly happy with it I understand the advice to let it be what it is intended to be.