Desert Gardening 101
  • Home
  • About
  • Classes
  • Consultations
  • Speaking
  • Book
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Menu Menu
  • Link to Facebook
  • Link to Pinterest
  • Link to Instagram
  • Link to Youtube

Mini Christmas Trees? More Bad Pruning…

AZ Plant Lady, Pruning
Mini Christmas Trees
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn

Last week, as my husband and I, were pulling out of our local Home Depot when I saw what looked like mini Christmas trees throughout the parking lot islands.

mini Christmas trees

mini Christmas trees

I grabbed my cell phone and took a picture of these funny-shaped plants.

Do you want to know what they are?

No. They aren’t Christmas trees…

badly pruned

Those cone-shaped plants are in reality badly pruned Pink Muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaris) grasses.

These are my favorite ornamental grasses for the desert climate and although they are badly pruned, they did get some things right.

– For one, Pink Muhly is a great plant for parking lot islands as they can handle full sun.

– In addition, they were pruned at the right time of year.

Just not the right way…

Pink Muhly grasses should be pruned back to 3 inches in height, straight across when the last frost date has passed. In the Phoenix area, where I live, that is early March.

Believe it or not, pruning them the correct way is easier than making them cone-shaped and once the warmer temperatures of spring arrive, these beautiful ornamental grasses will leaf out again.

badly pruned

Once fall arrives, they produce lovely, burgundy plumes…

badly pruned

In winter, the plumes will fade and become straw colored, which adds a nice touch of wintery color.

mini Christmas trees

The Pink Muhly grasses, below, weren’t pruned the right way either.

mini Christmas trees

They resemble rounded balls and weren’t cut back enough.  But, they look much better than the mini Christmas tree-shaped ones.  Don’t you think?

I love these grasses and have planted them in many areas, including along golf courses, churches, and other common areas. And, I just recently planted them in my backyard around my flagstone seating area.

mini Christmas trees
Noelle Johnson, aka, 'AZ Plant Lady' is a author, horticulturist, and landscape consultant who helps people learn how to create, grow, and maintain beautiful desert gardens that thrive in a hot, dry climate. She does this through her consulting services, her online class Desert Gardening 101, and her monthly membership club, Through the Garden Gate. As she likes to tell desert-dwellers, "Gardening in the desert isn't hard, but it is different."
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
https://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/IMG_0718.jpg 514 640 arizonaplantlady@gmail.com https://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/AZ-Plant-Lady-Logo-small.jpg arizonaplantlady@gmail.com2021-02-18 20:30:002022-09-17 01:57:11Mini Christmas Trees? More Bad Pruning…
You might also like
vegetable_garden_soil_amendments September Gardening Tasks: What To Do and NOT Do
FirecrackerPenstemon Winter…What Winter?
MeticulouslymanicuredSWlandscape-1 Summer Pruning and a ‘Substitute’ Gardener
Pruning and Blooms in the Spring Garden
Protect_Citrus_From_Sunburn Even Citrus Trees Need Sunscreen to Prevent Sunburn
Over-Pruning and Ways to Avoid Them Problems Caused by Over-Pruning and Ways to Avoid Them
5 replies
  1. Colleen
    Colleen says:
    February 20, 2013 at 3:15 am

    Don't you find that there is so much bad pruning that goes on here is the Phoenix area? I feel like I see it all the time.

  2. Renee
    Renee says:
    February 20, 2013 at 3:52 am

    David from The Desert Edge recommended your blog to me… I also grow 'Regal mist' and I have to admit that I've pruned mine into a too-round shape. I should fix that…

    Thanks for having a blog about gardening in the desert. I'm always looking for more good sources of info!

  3. David Cristiani
    David Cristiani says:
    February 20, 2013 at 4:33 am

    That didn't look so bad in my thumbnail (I did ask, "boxwood in Phx?"), but then on your blog, "yikes!" I've seen it all…I hope. This is a must-forward to some maintenance people / clients who've ruined my / their designs…

  4. arizonaplantlady@gmail.com
    arizonaplantlady@gmail.com says:
    February 20, 2013 at 7:17 pm

    Thank you all for your kind comments.

    Colleen, there is an awful amount of bad pruning in the Phoenix area. I try to educate my clients, one at a time on how to properly prune shrubs, but it is un uphill battle 😉

    Noelle

  5. Nicole
    Nicole says:
    February 21, 2013 at 3:45 am

    I would love to get a couple of those grasses. Your posts on pruning are always a hoot!

Comments are closed.

Get My Free Guide to Gardening in the Desert

You’ll receive helpful tips from me in your inbox. I write these with you in mind to help you succeed in the desert garden. I will never share your information with anyone else, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Privacy Policy

Connect With Me!

  • Amazon
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

noelle-johnson-az-plant-ladyNoelle Johnson: AZ PLANT LADY®

Author, Horticulturist, Landscape Consultant & Lover of Blue Pots

Check out my popular online classes!

Have a Question? Search Past Posts

Want More Tips? Connect with me in my Facebook Group!

 

Shrub Pruning Booklet: Say “No” to ball, square & cupcake-shaped shrubs!

Spiral-bound pruning guide booklet for shrubs

Product of the Month: Leather Gardening Gloves

 

Spring is the busiest time of year for pruning plants. Are your hands ready? A good pair of leather gloves is really important. My Bamllum gloves have a good grip and offer great protection.

 

Amazon Disclosure

AZ Plant Lady, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees.

Privacy & Policy, Disclaimer & Disclosure

 

“…and the desert shall rejoice and blossom.” Isaiah 35:1

© 2008-2025
Noelle Johnson
All Rights Reserved.

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn

Popular Classes and Membership Club

desert gardening 101 class logo

Shop for My Recommended Garden Products:

Sign-Up For My Free Guide to Gardening in the Desert!

I promise not to sell or share your email with anyone ever!

*Please note that I cannot answer individual gardening questions.

Privacy Policy

Order My Newest Book!

The Water-Smart Garden Book

My Award-Winning Book!

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Noelle Johnson, aka, 'AZ Plant Lady' is a author, horticulturist, and landscape consultant who helps people learn how to create, grow, and maintain beautiful desert gardens that thrive in a hot, dry climate. She does this through her consulting services, her online class Desert Gardening 101, and her monthly membership club, Through the Garden Gate. As she likes to tell desert-dwellers, "Gardening in the desert isn't hard, but it is different."

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
© Copyright 2025 - azplantlady.com       Privacy Policy · Disclaimer · Sitemap
  • Link to Facebook
  • Link to Pinterest
  • Link to Instagram
  • Link to Youtube
Link to: Shrubs Aren’t Meant To Be Cupcakes, Frisbees, or Pill Boxes Link to: Shrubs Aren’t Meant To Be Cupcakes, Frisbees, or Pill Boxes Shrubs Aren’t Meant To Be Cupcakes, Frisbees, or Pill Boxes Link to: Need a Bouquet? Look No Further Than Your Garden Link to: Need a Bouquet? Look No Further Than Your Garden MonthlyGardenBouquetlantanaleucophyllumTecomaNeed a Bouquet? Look No Further Than Your Garden Scroll to top Scroll to top Scroll to top
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT