Photo by:
William Cullina
What to Cut — And When: Certain plants benefit from more regular pruning, while others need time to regenerate between cuts. This guide summarizes the timing that’s best for different varieties.
Cut Back Every Year
◗ Buddleia
◗ Callicarpa
◗ Catalpa (to produce larger foliage and prevent flowers)
◗ Ceanothus (deciduous species)
◗ Cercis (for foliage effect)
◗ Clethra
◗ Comptonia
◗ Cornus (shrubby species)
◗ Cotinus
◗ Diervilla
◗ Franklinia
◗ Heptacodium
◗ Hydrangea arborescens, H. paniculata, and H. macrophylla (reblooming)
◗ Lagerstroemia
◗ Physocarpus
◗ Rhus
◗ Rosa
◗ Salix
◗ Sambucus
◗ Spiraea
◗ Vitex
Go to next page for what to prune every 2 to 3 years.
