Discloses a genetically modified perennial woody plant having improved growth properties as compared to a corresponding non-genetically modified wild type plant, wherein said plant has a reduced amount or activity of a EBI1 or EBI2 polypeptide, and wherein the genome of said plant comprises a genetic modification selected from anyone of: i) a non-silent mutation in an endogenous gene comprising a nucleic acid molecule encoding an EBI1 or EBI2 polypeptide ii) a trans gene inserted into said genome, said transgene comprising a nucleic acid molecule encoding a ribonucleic acid sequence, which is able to form a double-stranded ribonucleic acid molecule, whereby a fragment of at least 17 nucleotides of said double-stranded ribonucleic acid molecule has an identity of at least 70% to a nucleic acid molecule encoding an EBI1 or EBI2 polypeptide iii) a mutation in an endogenous gene comprising a nucleic acid molecule encoding an EBI1 or EBI2 polypeptide, induced by introducing into at least one plant cell a nucleic acid construct able to recombine with and silence, inactivate, or reduce the activity of the endogenous gene, wherein said EBI1 polypeptide has an amino acid sequence having at least 80% amino acid sequence identity to a sequence selected from among SEQ ID NOS: 2, 4 and 5, or wherein said EBI2 polypeptide has an amino acid sequence having at least 80 % amino acid sequence identity to a sequence selected from among SEQ ID NOS: 7, 9 and 10 wherein the sequences are as defined in the complete specification.
