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Nursery & Landscaping		 Instructions for Pruning Shrubs
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Pruning is the removal of unwanted parts of a plant to maintain the health of the plant, to direct the plant's growth and to increase the beauty of the plant.
Reasons to Prune:
  1. to maintain good scale between foundation planting and the house
  2. to remove damage from wind and snow
  3. to remove insect injury or diseased wood
  4. to remove rubbing or crossing branches
  5. to increase air circulation and light penetration within the crown.
Planting the right plant in the proper location will eliminate a large amount of pruning needed each year. The natural shape of the plant should be accented with pruning not drastically changed. See Plants section for average height and width of plants.
How to Prune
Shrubs (multistemmed plants) are usually renewal pruned. With renewal pruning about 1/3 of the oldest stems are entirely removed each year to promote new growth and maintain proper size.
Plants that benefit from renewal pruning are:
  • Lilacs (Syringa)
  • Kerria
  • Mockorange (Philadelphus)
  • Weigela
  • Forsythia
  • Red-twig Dogwood (Cornus)

Other shrubs that become overgrown and twiggy can be rejuvenated. Prune out most of the stems 4 to 6 inches from the ground. Remove the oldest stems at ground level.
Plants that benefit from rejuvenation are:
  • Potentilla
  • Spiraea
  • Privet (Ligustrum)
As a last resort old Forsythia and Honeysuckle (Lonicera) can also be maintained this way.
New branches will grow in the direction of the bud below the cut. To direct growth in a particular direction, cut just above a bud that points in the desired direction.
When to Prune
In general winter is the best time to prune most plants while they are dormant and there is little disease activity. However there are specific times that are best for a given species.
Spring flowering shrubs (those flowering before mid-June) form their flower buds in autumn. They should be pruned immediately after the flowers fade in spring. Examples are:
  • Lilacs
  • Vernal Witchhazel (Hamamelis)
  • Flowering Quince (Chaenomeles)
  • Forsythia
  • Crabapples (Malus)
  • Magnolia
Summer flowering plants bloom on new growth formed in the spring and are pruned in the dormant season before new growth begins. Examples are:
  • Clethra
  • Spiraea
  • Hydrangea
  • Caryopteris
  • Butterfly Bush
Plants should not be pruned in late summer for it stimulates new growth which will not be able to acclimate by the time frost arrives.
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Cindy McDonnell ©1999
 Last updated October 4, 1999