Maintaining that 5-star landscaped look is now more convenient than ever. Pruning during a tree or shrub's dormant season offers a couple of additional perks that are worth considering. A general rule of thumb is to prune spring flowering trees and shrubs right after they bloom and prune later flowering trees and shrubs in the early spring. https://extension.psu.edu/how-and-when-to-prune-flowering-shrubs Prune Shrubs After flowering Lots of people with flowering shrubs are afraid that pruning at the wrong time will cut off the flower buds, which will ultimately lead to a shrub that barely blooms. Prune these shrubs … After flowering, rebalance the general shape of the shrub … ), azalea, forsythia, fothergilla, kerria, mockorange (Philadelphus coronarius), rhododendron, and weigela. Introducing "One Thing": A New Video Series, The Spruce Gardening & Plant Care Review Board, The Spruce Renovations and Repair Review Board. Summer blooming shrubs such as summerweet (Clethra alnifolia) and blue mist spirea (Caryopteris x clandonensis) are pruned in late winter/early spring because their flower buds form on new wood produced during the current season. Although there are rules of thumb, there are no hard and fast rules. These trees and shrubs don't usually set their flowering buds until they start actively growing in spring. Here is a good reference with more detail and illustrations about pruning, as well as lists of spring and summer flowering shrubs: Pruning Flowering Shrubs. You'll have a couple of weeks grace period, after flowering, to get this pruning done before next seasons buds begin being set. Early spring bloomers set their flower buds the previous fall. These shrubs may possess colorful bark, fruit, or foliage. You want to prune before buds are set to keep from disturbing the following year’s blooms. Their flower buds develop during the previous growing season on “old wood." A rough rule of thumb is to prune spring-blooming shrubs soon after they finish flowering because most bloom on old wood, while those that bloom in summer and fall usually bloom on new wood and can be pruned in late winter or very early spring. Summer flowering shrubs : We start with a light pruning at the end of winter Also remove any branches that are dead or have frozen over during the winter. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. 3. Bushes that bloom before June 15th should be pruned soon after flowering has ended.Spring bloomers, especially the early spring blooming shrubs, generally bloom on old wood. Spring may seem like the ideal time to do this, but not all trees and shrubs should be pruned early—especially some of the flowering ones. The pruned shrubs will bloom in summer on the current season's growth. Prune shrubs using the renewal method in which some of the largest stems of the plant are cut to the ground. These trees and shrubs set their flower buds the prior fall and adhere to the rule of thumb to hold off on early spring pruning, until after their flowers fade. Losing an entire season of flowers is not what you want to accomplish with pruning—most of the time. Selective heading cuts (removing the terminal part of a stem back to a bud) from one-third of the younger stems will help to control the size of the shrub, while still maintaining a natural shape. Most trees and shrubs benefit from annual pruning. Get notified when we have news, courses, or events of interest to you. DON’T Forget to Maintain Your Tools. Photo credit: Nancy Knauss, Late winter and early spring are ideal times for pruning many shrubs. Download our free app to book and manage landscaping services anytime, anywhere. In that case, it would mean pruning while the tree or shrub is dormant before the branches are masked by leaves. Another plus is that winter-pruned plants are less susceptible to insect and disease problems. Pruning is an important cultural practice to maintain the health and appearance of flowering shrubs. View our privacy policy. In most cases, you’d prune them in late winter or the earlier part of spring when it’s still cool outside. Prune fruit trees and berry plants when they’re dormant. 11 Great Trees and Shrubs With White Flowers. Spring flowering shrubs (those that bloom before mid-June) should be pruned after flowering. Removal of dead, damaged or diseased wood reduces insect and disease problems while allowing the … Pruning these plants early in the spring would mean pruning off the flower buds and losing some—if not all—of the blossoms. See All Pest, Disease and Weed Identification, See All Beer, Hard Cider, and Distilled Spirits, See All Community Planning and Engagement.