Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
while some never seem to want to stop
flowering, like daisies and French lavender.
Flowering shrubs, no matter when or how
often they flower, should be pruned with the
knowledge of what sort of growth they flower
on and the structural strength of the shrub
in mind.
Table 4.1
Shrubs that respond to decapitation for canopy
renovation
Acaciaboormanii
Banksiamarginata
Brugmansiaversicolor
Buddleja
spp.
Callistemon
spp.
Calothamnusquadrifida
Camelliasasanqua
and
japonica
Cestrum
spp.
Coprosma
spp.
Cornusalba
Cotoneaster
spp.
Dodoneaviscosa
Escallonia
spp.
Grevillea'WhiteWings'
Hydrangeaspecies
Melaleucaarmillaris
Melaleucaericifolia
Neriumoleander
Pyracantha
spp.
Rosarugosa
(cutting grown)
Salix
spp.
Sparmanniaafricana
Spirea
spp.
Symphoricarpos
spp.
Telopeaspecioissima
Thryptomenesaxicola
Viburnumodoratissimum
Viburnumopulus
Many shrubs need hardly any pruning at
all once established. They may require a bit
of shaping and shortening back of overly
vigorous shoots, but pruning can be limited
to a bit of wood thinning and the removal
of dead or diseased wood. If the plant is
getting overly woody, prune after f flowering
to a vigorous side shoot pointing in the
direction you want the growth to go. You
may want to remove spent f flowers by
deadheading, that is, cutting the f flower
stem off to the nearest vegetative bud (see
Table 4.2).
Table 4.2
Shrubs that need minimal pruning
Camellia
Choisyaternata
Mexican orange blossom
Continus
Smoke bush
Escallonia
Fothergilla
Gordonia
Hibiscussyriacus
Deciduous hibiscus
Loropetalum
Magnolia
Melaleuca
spp
.
Michelia
spp
.
Murryapaniculata
Orange blossom
Nandina
Neriumoleander
Oleander
Peonia
Tree peony
Protea
Rhododendron
Teucruimfruticans
Viburnumplicatum
Timing
Complete canopy removal and the removal of
old wood should only be carried out just
before a season of growth. That is in early
spring for those in frost-free climates. In areas
prone to frost, wait until all threat has passed
before proceeding.
Floweringshrubs
Some shrubs flower just once a year. Other
shrubs repeat flower over the season,
