Traditionally, at the end of winter, just before the growing season begins, the specialists from the municipal enterprise «Miskzelentrest» perform formative pruning of grafted weeping trees such as Japanese sophora, mulberries, and ashes. This annual procedure is crucial for the maintenance of these tree species.

The sophoras gracing the Theater Square were planted on September 25, 1895, and this year they will celebrate their 130th anniversary. These Japanese sophoras are classified as state botanical monuments of local significance.

Since early February, the greenkeepers have started rejuvenating pruning of sophoras throughout the city. The work is done manually with the help of pruning shears. The weeping crown shape of the Japanese sophora is not a natural phenomenon but is artificially created by the gardeners, which makes regular pruning necessary.
This year, it is planned to carry out formative pruning of 463 weeping trees on the sites serviced by the municipal enterprise «Miskzelentrest» (City Garden, Theater Square, Taras Shevchenko Park, and the «Luzanivka» hydropark, among others).

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The Japanese sophora is a deciduous tree that can reach heights of 20-30 meters in its native regions (Japan, China, Korea), but usually only grows to 10-12 meters in temperate zones. It features a rounded crown and a robust root system. This tree species is known for its longevity, living for 500 years or more. In Odesa, sophoras have been used for landscaping since the 1820s.