Which of the following describes a heading cut in pruning?

• A. A heading cut removes a portion of the stem back to a bud (promotes new shoots); example: lilac.
• B. A heading cut removes a branch back to the main stem.
• C. A heading cut removes the entire plant.
• D. A heading cut is used to remove dead wood.

Answer: (A)

Heading cuts are pruning cuts where you remove part of a stem back to a bud, which stimulates new growth from that bud and encourages branching. This is exactly what the described option shows: you cut back to a bud, prompting fresh shoots from that point and helping create a bushier plant, as seen with lilac. Other options describe different pruning actions—removing a branch back to the main stem would be a reduction cut, not a heading cut; removing the entire plant isn’t pruning to shape; and removing dead wood is deadwood removal, not heading cutting.