diff --git a/src/Tree.cpp b/src/Tree.cpp
index 332455052..6d60d2627 100644
--- a/src/Tree.cpp
+++ b/src/Tree.cpp
@@ -91,6 +91,19 @@ void Tree::removeBranch (Tree* branch)
   }
 }
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+void Tree::removeAllBranches ()
+{
+  for (std::vector <Tree*>::iterator i = _branches.begin ();
+       i != _branches.end ();
+       ++i)
+  {
+    delete *i;
+  }
+
+  _branches.clear ();
+}
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 void Tree::replaceBranch (Tree* from, Tree* to)
 {
diff --git a/src/Tree.h b/src/Tree.h
index 43205743e..aadcf2082 100644
--- a/src/Tree.h
+++ b/src/Tree.h
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ public:
 
   Tree* addBranch (Tree*);
   void removeBranch (Tree*);
+  void removeAllBranches ();
   void replaceBranch (Tree*, Tree*);
 
   void attribute (const std::string&, const std::string&);