A Guide to Successful Pruning, Shrub Pruning Calendar

ID

430-462

Authors as Published

Bonnie Lee Appleton, Extension Nursery Specialist, Virginia Tech; Susan C. French, Research Specialist, Virginia Tech

Legend:

* = Best time to prune
x = Do not prune except to correct damage, hazards, or structural defects
- = Timing is not critical

Note:

Flowers are produced on new (current season) wood
Flowers are produced on wood from past season, pruning while dormant will reduce flowers
Make pruning cuts well below diseased wood (fire blight) - disinfect shears between cuts
Remove old stems to ground yearly to renew
Midseason shear if a formal hedge is desired
Do not cut into old wood that has no leaves or needles
Spring/summer prune to remove azalia caterpillars and galls
Fall/early winter pruning can reduce winter hardiness
Snap candles (new growth) in half when needles are 1/2 to 2/3 their normal mature length

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Otc	Nov	Dec	Note
Abelia	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	*	*	1,4
Almond, Flowering	x	x	x	x	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2,4
Arborvitae	*	*	*	-	-	*	*	x	x	x	*	*	6
Aucuba	x	x	x	x	x	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2
Azalea, Deciduous	x	x	x	x	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2
Azalea, Evergreen	x	x	x	x	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2,7
Barberry, Decidudous	x	x	x	x	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2,4
Barberry, Evergreen	x	x	x	x	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2,4
Bayberry	x	x	*	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	x
Beautyberry	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	*	*	1,7
Beautybush (Kolkwitzia)	x	x	x	x	x	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2,4
Boxwood	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	x	x	x	*	*	5
Broom (Cytisus)	x	x	x	x	x	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2
Butterfly-bush	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	*	*	1
Camellia, Japanese	x	x	x	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	x	2
Camellia, Sasanqua	x	x	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	1
Chastetree (Vitex)	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	1
Cherrylaurel (Prunus)	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	x	x	x	*	*	5
Clethra, Summersweet	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	*	*	1
Cotoneaster, Deciduous	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	*	*	3
Cotoneaster, Evergreen	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	*	*	3
Crape Myrtle	*	*	*	x	x	x	-	-	-	x	x	x	1,8
Daphne, Fragrant or Winter	x	x	x	*	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2
Deutzia	x	x	x	x	x	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2,4
Dogwood, Redtwig	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	*	*	1,4
Eleagnus, Thorny	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	x	x	x	*	*
Euonymus, Deciduous	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	*	*
Euonymus, Evergreen	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	x	x	x	*	*	5
Forsythia	x	x	x	*	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2,4
Fothergilla	x	x	x	x	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2
Gardenia	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	*	*	1
Harry Lauder's Walking Stick	x	x	x	x	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2
Hibiscus, Rose of Sharon, Althea	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	*	*	1
Holly, Deciduous	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	*	1
Holly, Evergreen	x	x	x	x	x	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2,5
Honeysuckle	x	x	x	x	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2,4,5
Hydrangea, Spring- blooming	x	x	x	x	x	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2
Hydrangea, Summer- blooming	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	*	*	1
Hypericum, St. Johnswort	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	1
Indian Hawthorn (Raphiolepis)	x	x	x	x	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2
Jasmine, Winter	x	x	x	*	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2
Juniper	*	*	*	-	-	-	-	x	x	x	*	*	6
Kerria (Globeflower)	x	x	x	x	x	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2,4
Leucothoe	x	x	x	x	x	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	4
Lilac	x	x	x	x	x	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2,4
Mahonia, Oregon Grapeholly	x	x	x	x	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2,4
Mockorange	x	x	x	x	x	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2,4
Mountain-laurel (Kalmia)	x	x	x	x	x	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2
Nandina	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	1,4
Osmanthus, Holly	*	*	-	-	-	*	x	x	x	x	*	*	1,5
Pearlbush	x	x	x	x	x	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2
Photinia	*	*	-	-	*	*	*	x	x	x	*	*	5
Pieris	x	x	x	x	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2
Pine, Mugo	*	x	x	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	*	9
Pittosporum	x	*	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
Privet, Deciduous (Ligustrum)	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	x	x	x	*	*	5
Privet, Evergreen (Ligustrum)	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	x	x	x	*	*	5
Potentilla	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	x	*	*	*	1,4
Pyracantha	x	x	x	x	x	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2,3
Quince	x	x	x	*	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2,4
Rododendron	x	x	x	x	x	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2
Rose	x	*	*	x	x	x	*	*	x	x	x	x	1,3,4
Serviceberry	x	x	x	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	x
Smoke Tree	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	*	*	1
Spirea Spring- blooming	x	x	x	x	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	x	2
Spirea Summer- blooming	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	1
Sumac	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	*	*	*	*	*	1,4
Sweetshrub, Carolina Allspice	x	x	x	x	x	x	*	*	x	x	x	x	1
Viburnum, Deciduous	x	x	x	x	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2,4
Viburnum, Evergreen	x	x	x	x	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	x	2
Weigela	x	x	x	x	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2,4
Willow, Pussy	x	x	x	*	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2
Witchhazel	x	x	x	*	*	*	*	x	x	x	x	x	2
Yew	*	*	*	-	*	*	*	x	x	x	*	*	5

Exceptions

Timing varies across USDA climate zones - zones within Virginia range from 8a in the Virginia Beach area to 5b along the West Virginia border
Prune anytime to correct vandalism and hazards created by equipment or weather
Hedges maintained formally (tight shapes) require more pruning than hedges maintained informally (in their natural form)

Virginia Cooperative Extension materials are available for public use, reprint, or citation without further permission, provided the use includes credit to the author and to Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech, and Virginia State University.

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia State University, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Edwin J. Jones, Director, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg; M. Ray McKinnie, Administrator, 1890 Extension Program, Virginia State University, Petersburg.

Publication Date

May 1, 2009

Available As

A Guide to Successful Pruning, Shrub Pruning Calendar (PDF)

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Trees, Shrubs, & Groundcovers

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Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center

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