Tree topping is the practice of removing whole tops of trees or large branches and/or trunks from the tops of
trees, leaving stubs or lateral branches that are too small to assume the role of a terminal leader. Other common names for the practice include
hat-racking,
heading,
rounding over, and
tipping. Some species of trees are more likely to recover from the effects of topping than are others. There are alternatives to topping that can help to achieve the same goals without damaging trees.