A lopping machine comprising a ring-shaped holder forming a central opening and a number of lopping rods slidably supported by said holder and circumferentially spaced around said opening. The lopping rods are positioned in axial planes of said holder opening and are inclined with respect to the axis of said opening, so that the inner ends of the rods contact the surface of a tree stem passing longitudinally through said opening. Each rod is provided with displacing means for retracting said inner ends of the rods beyond a wiping surface formed in said holder for removing branches sticking to said rods.