Find out the best time to prune different shrubs
Get your pruners ready! Here’s a list of 37 common shrubs that respond well to maintenance pruning. And if you do it on a regular basis — once a year on most shrubs — it’s an easy task. Since there are no drastic cuts, the shrubs fill in again in just a few weeks, too. So think about which of these shrubs you have in your garden — you may have at least one that could be improved by a bit of pruning right now!
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How to prune 37 common shrubs
| Plant Name | Best time to prune | Hardiness Zones | Pruning Tips |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abelia, glossy Abelia x grandiflora | Winter | 6-9 | 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 | 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 | Pruning is the same for both deciduous and evergreen types; thorny, so always wear gloves |
| Bayberry, northern Myrica pensylvanica | Early summer | 3-7 | Maintain natural, informal shape and size with light pruning; rarely needs rejuvenation |
| Burning bush Euonymus alatus | Anytime | 4-9 | 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 | 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 | Lightly prune to maintain form |
| Chastetree Vitex agnus-castus | Late winter | 6-9 | Shrubs can be pruned quite severely; prune tree-form specimens only lightly |
| Cotoneaster Cotoneaster spp. | Winter | 4-9 | Prone to fireblight so prune below infected areas; sterilize shears between cuts with bleach solution |
| Deutzia Deutzia spp. | Early summer | 5-8 | Blooms better with annual pruning |
| Dogwood, red twig Cornus alba | Winter or early spring | 2-8 | Hard pruning in early spring produces the most colorful stems for winter interest |
| Firethorn Pyracantha coccinea | Summer | 5-9 | Thorny, so wear gloves; sterilize shears between cuts to prevent spreading fireblight |
| Forsythia Forsythia hybrid | Spring | 4-8 | Prune every year after blooming to keep this fast-growing shrub under control |
| Fothergilla, dwarf Fothergilla gardenii | Early summer | 5-8 | Open habit and small size; rarely needs much pruning |
| Heavenly bamboo Nandina domestica | Spring | 6-9 | 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 | Tolerant of almost any type of pruning; quick to recover and fill in again |
| Hydrangea, smooth Hydrangea arborescens | Late winter | 3-9 | 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 | 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 | 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 | Wounds bleed sap if cut in winter or early spring |
| Mockorange Philadelphus hybrid | Late spring | 4-8 | Remove oldest stems from the center to keep this shrub blooming its best |
| Mountain-laurel Kalmia latifolia | Early summer | 4-9 | Performs well with minimal pruning; deadhead spent flowers to stimulate more side branches |
| Privet Ligustrum spp. | Early spring | 3-10 | Do heavy pruning in early spring, but can be lightly trimmed at any time during the year |
| Pussywillow Salix caprea | Late spring | 3-8 | 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 | Prune lightly to maintain a large size shrub or keep it small with regular heavy pruning |
| Siberian peashrub Caragana arborescens | Late spring | 2-7 | Rarely needs pruning except to control size; lightly trim specimens that are trained into tree-form |
| Smoke tree Cotinus coggygria | Winter | 5-8 | 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 | Cut back severely each year for dense growth and more flowers; trim lightly after flowering for a possible rebloom |
| Spirea, Van Houtte Spiraea x vanhouttei | Late spring | 3-9 | Recovers quickly from hard pruning; best form and flowering in early summer with regular trimming |
| Viburnum, arrowwood Viburnum dentatum | Late spring | 3-8 | You′ll lose the fall fruit with spring pruning, but this shrub will flower normally next spring |
| Virginia sweetspire Itea virginica | Summer | 5-9 | Pruning will keep this shrub from growing loose and floppy; rarely needs to be cut back severely |
| Weigela Weigela florida | Summer | 4-9 | Regular pruning promotes the best flowering; recovers quickly from a severe cutting back |
| Winterberry Ilex verticillata | Late winter | 4-8 | 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 | Open branching habit rarely needs much pruning; prune lightly to control size |
| Yew Taxus spp. | Late winter | 4-8 | Late winter for heavy pruning; can easily be trimmed any time of year |
