| Plant Name | Best time to prune | Cold/Heat zones | Tips |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abelia, glossy Abelia xgrandiflora |
Winter | 6-9/9-1 | If needed, thin out the oldest stems to the ground each winter to keep this shrub in shape |
| Azalea Rhododendron hybrid |
Late spring to early summer | 4-9/9-1 | Slow to recover from heavy pruning; taking off too much may retard blooming for a year or two |
| Barberry Berberis spp. |
Late spring to early summer | 4-8/8-1 | Pruning is the same for both deciduous and evergreen types; thorny, so always wear gloves |
| Bayberry, northern Myrica pensylvanica |
Early summer | 3-7/7-1 | Maintain natural, informal shape and size with light pruning; rarely needs rejuvenation |
| Burning bush Euonymus alatus |
Anytime | 4-9/9-1 | Prune before new growth for a more casual look or after new growth for a tighter, more formal appearance |
| Camellia, Japanese Camellia japonica |
Late spring | 6-8/8-1 | Slow to recover from heavy pruning so try to keep it in shape with more frequent light trimmings |
| Carolina allspice/sweetshrub Calycanthus floridus |
Spring or late summer | 4-9/9-1 | Lightly prune to maintain form |
| Chastetree Vitex agnus-castus |
Late winter | 6-9/9-1 | Shrubs can be pruned quite severely; prune tree-form specimens only lightly |
| Cotoneaster Cotoneaster spp. |
Winter | 4-9/9-1 | Prone to fireblight so prune below infected areas; sterilize shears between cuts with bleach solution |
| Deutzia Deutzia spp. |
Early Summer | 5-8/8-1 | Blooms better with annual pruning |
| Dogwood, red twig Cornus alba |
Winter or early spring | 2-8/8-1 | Hard pruning in early spring produces the most colorful stems for winter interest |
| Firethorn Pyracantha coccinea |
Summer | 5-9/9-1 | Thorny, so wear gloves; sterilize shears between cuts to prevent spreading fireblight |
| Forsythia Forsythia hybrid |
Spring | 4-8/8-1 | Prune every year after blooming to keep this fast-growing shrub under control |
| Fothergilla, dwarf Fothergilla gardenii |
Early summer | 5-8/8-1 | Open habit and small size; rarely needs much pruning |
| Heavenly bamboo Nandina domestica |
Spring | 6-9/9-1 | Prune tips to maintain size; thin out four or five of the oldest stems each year to keep this shrub tidy |
| Honeysuckle Lonicera spp. |
Summer | 3-10/10-1 | Tolerant of almost any type of pruning; quick to recover and fill in again |
| Hydrangea, smooth Hydrangea arborescens |
Late winter | 3-9/9-1 | Prune lightly to allow this plant to grow tallest; cutting back severely will give you fewer, but larger, flowers |
| Kerria Kerria japonica |
Early summer | 4-9/9-1 | Take out some of the oldest stems to produce more flowers and bright green stems for winter interest |
| Lilac, common Syringa vulgaris |
Late spring | 3-8/8-1 | Prune lightly to control size; cut back severely when overgrown — takes several years to bloom again |
| Lilac, dwarf Korean Syringa meyeri ‘Palibin’ |
Early summer | 3-8/8-1 | Rarely needs much pruning to stay dense and compact |
| Maple, Amur Acer tataricum ginnala |
Midsummer | 2-8/8-1 | Wounds bleed sap if cut in winter or early spring |
| Mockorange Philadelphus hybrid |
Late spring | 4-8/8-1 | Remove oldest stems from the center to keep this shrub blooming its best |
| Mountain-laurel Kalmia latifolia |
Early summer | 4-9/9-1 | Performs well with minimal pruning; deadhead spent flowers to stimulate more side branches |
| Privet Ligustrum spp. |
Early spring | 3-10/10-1 | Do heavy pruning in early spring, but can be lightly trimmed at any time during the year |
| Pussywillow Salix caprea |
Late spring | 3-8/8-1 | Removing some of the oldest stems will produce long stems for cutting; quick to recover from pruning |
| Quince, flowering (in photo above) Chaenomeles spp. |
Late spring to summer | 5-8/8-1 | Wear gloves and long sleeves, flowering spurs are similar to thorns |
| Rose-of-Sharon Hibiscus syriacus |
Early spring | 5-8/8-1 | Prune lightly to maintain a large size shrub or keep it small with regular heavy pruning |
| Siberian peashrub Caragana arborescens |
Late spring | 2-7/7-1 | Rarely needs pruning except to control size; lightly trim specimens that are trained into tree-form |
| Smoke tree Cotinus coggygria |
Winter | 5-8/8-1 | Prune lightly for large plants or cut to the ground each winter to maintain a small shrub |
| Spirea, Japanese Spiraea japonica |
Late winter | 3-8/8-1 | Cut back severely each year for dense growth and more flowers; trim lightly after flowering for a possible rebloom |
| Spirea, Van Houtte Spiraea xvanhouttei |
Late spring | 3-9/9-1 | Recovers quickly from hard pruning; best form and flowering in early summer with regular trimming |
| Viburnum, arrowwood Viburnum dentatum |
Late spring | 3-8/8-1 | You′ll lose the fall fruit with spring pruning, but this shrub will flower normally next spring |
| Virginia sweetspire Itea virginica |
Summer | 5-9/9-1 | Pruning will keep this shrub from growing loose and floppy; rarely needs to be cut back severely |
| Weigela Weigela florida |
Summer | 4-9/9-1 | Regular pruning promotes the best flowering; recovers quickly from a severe cutting back |
| Winterberry Ilex verticillata |
Late winter | 4-8/8-1 | Regular light pruning will result in more colorful fruit along the stems; slow to recover from heavy pruning |
| Witchhazel Hamamelis spp. |
Late spring to summer | 4-8/8-1 | Open branching habit rarely needs much pruning; prune lightly to control size |
| Yew Taxus spp. |
Late winter | 4-8/8-1 | Late winter for heavy pruning; can easily be trimmed any time of year |