Chop, chop, chop – It is time to start pruning those spring-blooming shrubs that now hold drooping, brown flowers. Spireas, azaleas and other early spring bloomers will be stetting next year’s flowers soon. Once this year’s flowers are spent, it is pruning time. Wait too long and those pruners will be sending young flower buds to the compost heap. July 4 is the cut-off for cutting back.
Do you know when to prune blooming shrubs? Follow the May rule. If a plant blooms before May 1, prune it soon after it flowers. If a plant blooms after May 1, prune it before it flowers.
Early spring flowers, before May 1 are produced on last year’s woody growth, and pruning in spring removes the current bloom buds. For the opposite group, summer flowers produced after May are on new woody growth. Pruning stimulates new growth and greater flower production.
Following are bloom time lists of common shrubs and trees in Alabama landscapes.
Winter and Spring Blooms
Witchhazel Mountain Laurel
Magnolia Hybrids Forsythia
Dogwood Azaleas and Rhododendrons
Fruit Trees Blueberry
Holly Spirea
Bush Honeysuckle Kerria
Winter Jasmine Nandina
Quince Viburnums
Summer and Fall Blooms
Southern Magnolia Hibiscus
Crape Myrtle Buddleia
Sourwood Clethra
Sweetbay Magnolia Hydrangeas *(exception)
Smoke Tree Gardenia
Chaste Tree Tea Olive
Abelia
- Exception: Different hydrangeas have different pruning requirements. French and oakleaf hydrangeas bloom on old wood. Prune soon after they bloom. Peegee and smooth hydrangeas bloom on new wood. Prune before new growth or as it begins to stimulate more flowers.
