I
UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE
Division of Agriculture, U S D e w r t m e n t of Agriculture and County Governments Cooperating
8runIng Spring
Spring flowering shrubs such a$ forsythia,
dogwood, redbud, and azaleas need to be pruned
from time to time as does any plant. They need to
be pruned to keep them in bounds, remove
diseased or dead wood and maintain a good shape.
Pruning spring flowering shrubs is usually
done immediately after they bloom to allow them
,r\ time t o grow and produce new flowering wood
before frost. Spring flowering plants set flower
buds in late summer and early fall. Any pruning
done after early August usually severely limits
flower buds for the next spring.
To maintain a natural shape to flowering
shrubs, make selective cut, not hedging cuts. This
means you should cut only those branches that are
dead, diseased, or growing out of bounds. Starting
at the tip, follow the limb back t o a natural branch
and make your cut there. Usually this is well below
the natural canopy of the plant. When this cut is
first made a gap or hole may result in the canopy,
but it will close fast with growth of the surround-
ing branches. This type of pruning will result in a
Kenneth R. Scott
Extension Horticulturist - Ornamentals
f-? KRS: btt
A8 7-5-79
The Arkansas COOiJcrativc! Exterrslon Scrvlcl: olfcr; I t s ~ ~ r o g r a mtos all ~ ' ! l C ~ i t Jper.ur,s
race, color, national origin, or scx, and 15 ari Equal Ernploymer,l Opgortunity Employer.
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Vol. 2, No. 2
natural shaped shrub that appears as if it hasn't
been pruned at all.
Many people feel it is a crime to prune an
azalea, but they, too, must occasionally be pruned.
If the outside is clipped in a hedging fashion all the
blooms will occur inside and many will not be
visible. By the same token, forsythia, spirea, and
weigela look much better with long branches
(natural look).
It is usually a good practice to fertilize spring
flowering shrubs at the time they are pruned. Use
1 to 3 pounds of a fertilizer such as 13-13-13 per
100 square foot of bed area. On azaleas, camellias,
and gardenias use a special azalea-camellia fertili-
zer, and use i t according to directions on the
package.
Remove all prunings from the area of the
shrubs to prevent spread of disease. It is also help-
ful to apply a mulch at this time to prevent disease
and maintain moisture during the growing season.
!~ regardless of