When to prune trees, shrubs, and other plants is one of the biggest questions gardeners ask. They’re afraid to prune plants at the wrong time of year. Will it hurt them? What if I accidentally cut off all of the flowers? Below you will find guidelines on when to prune many common backyard trees and shrubs, plus a handout you can download and print that lists when to prune various types of plants.
When to Prune Spring-Flowering Trees and Shrubs
Spring-flowering trees and shrubs bloom on last year’s growth. This means that the flowers you see in March, April, or May developed the previous year.
That’s why it’s very important to prune spring blooming plants at the right time of year. If you prune them at the wrong time of year, you will accidentally cut off the flowers. This won’t hurt your plant in the long run. It will recover. But for a year or two, you may have no or very few flowers.
Pruning Rule #1
Prune Spring-Flowering Plants Immediately AFTER They Finish Blooming
Prune the following plants in the spring soon after they finish blooming.
| Common Name | Botanical Name |
|---|---|
| Chinese Redbud | Cercis chinensis |
| Japanese quince | Chaenomeles Japonica |
| Fringe tree | Chionathus virginicus |
| Spring-flowering deutzias | Deutzia species |
| Pearlbush | Exochorda racemose |
| Forsythia | Forsythia species |
| Kerria | Kerria japonica |
| Honeysuckle | Lonicera species |
| Star magnolia | Magnolia stellate |
| Mockorange species | Philadelphus species |
| Pieris species | Pieris species |
| Azaleas and rhododendrons | Rhododendron species |
| Rambling rose species | Rosa species |
| Early white spirea species | Spiraea species |
| Lilac species | Tamarix parviflora |
| Small-flowered tamarix | Tamarix species |
| Viburnum species | Viburnum species |
| Old-fashioned weigela | Weigela florida |
Pruning Rule #2
Rule #2: Prune plants that bloom during the summer or fall in late winter, before the leaves appear.
| Common Name | Botanical Name |
|---|---|
| Glossy abelia | Abelia x grandiflora |
| Butterfly Bush | Buddleia davidii or globose |
| Japanese beauty bush | Callicarpa japonica |
| Summersweet | Clethra alnifolia |
| Shrub althea | Hibiscus syriacus |
| Hills of Snow | Hydrangea arborescens |
| Peegee Hydrangea | Hydrangea paniculate |
| Saint John’s Wort | Hypericum species |
| Crape myrtle | Lagerstroemia indica |
| Bush rose | Rosa species |
| Anthony Waterer Spirea | Spiraea bumbalda |
| Mikado Spirea | Spiraea japonica |
| Snowberry | Symphoricarpos species |
| Kashgar | Tamarix hispida |
| Odessa | Tamarix odessana |
| Chase tree | Vitex agnus-castus |
The trick to pruning plants is to ensure you have the right equipment and that you’re pruning at the right time. Pruning at the wrong time probably won’t hurt the plant, but you can prune away buds – which will mean no flowers for a year.
