At the end of winter, just before the growing season, specialists from the municipal enterprise «Miskzelentrest» carry out pruning of ornamental weeping trees: Japanese sophora, mulberry, and ash. This is an essential annual procedure for these types of trees.

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

Since early February, gardeners have begun rejuvenating pruning of sophoras throughout the city. This work is done manually with pruning shears. The weeping crown shape of the Japanese sophora is not natural but is artificially created by the gardeners, which necessitates regular pruning of this plant.
This year, it is planned to carry out formative pruning of 463 weeping trees at sites serviced by the municipal enterprise «Miskzelentrest» (City Garden, Theater Square, Taras Shevchenko Park, «Luzanivka» hydropark, etc.).

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The Japanese sophora is a deciduous tree that reaches heights of 20-30 m in its native habitat (Japan, China, Korea) but only 10-12 m in temperate regions. It has a rounded crown and a strong root system. This species is known for its longevity, living for 500 years or more. In Odessa, sophoras began to be used for landscaping in the 1820s.