Pruning of a portion of a limb.

The uniform trimming of the shape of a plant to make it sturdier and bushier. Heading back is simply cutting around the entire shape of the plant. Typically it is done to shrubs and hedges more often than trees to create a tidier, more formal look.

pruning shoots back one-half to one-third to buds or twigs with potential for growth.

Cutting an older branch or stem back to a stub or twig.

Pruning off the terminal or head growth of a plant, especially a tree. Heading back is a general term, whose subcategories include topping and pollarding. Topping is performed on large old trees as an inexpensive alternative to their full removal. Pollarding, in contrast, is performed for aesthetic reasons. Pollarding begins when a tree is young, and continues throughout the life of the tree.