Pruning Photinia: how & when
Regular pruning gives photinia an attractive shape and keeps it healthy.
Photinia (Photinia) is the name given to shrubs or small trees that can be found in many gardens or public green spaces. There are several photinia species, which belong to the rose family (Rosaceae).
Regular pruning should maintain the health and beauty of the plants. In this article you will learn when and how to prune photinia to promote healthy growth and maintain an attractive shape.
Pruning photinia: when is the best time?
Photinias generally response well to pruning. Depending on the species, intended use and individual requirements, you can prune them once a year. When placed as specimen plants in a solitary position in the garden, they can grow decoratively for several years even without regular pruning. The plants naturally form a harmonious branching, even if they are not pruned frequently. However, if they are not pruned at all, these woody plants tend to become bald more quickly. For this reason, occasional pruning is recommended to encourage plant growth. The best time to prune photinia is in spring before budbreak or after flowering. That said, it is not ideal to cut the plant in autumn before the first frosts.
Pruning photinia: here is how
If you want to cut back photinia, you should pay attention to a few other details in addition to the right time:
- Tools: use a sharp pair of garden shears or saw to cut photinia. The tools should be clean and at best disinfected to prevent the spread of disease.
- Thinning: always remove superfluous, damaged, diseased or dead branches first to keep the plant as airy as possible. The branches should be cut off directly at the main trunk or base.
- Weather: Prune annually at best and on sunny days to ensure that the cuts dry quickly.
When pruning for shape and hedging, first cut back the branches that interfere with the desired shape. Be careful not to cut the plant back too much, as this in turn can cause heavy resprouting. It is better to remove a few large shoots than lots of small ones.
- In the case of a photinia hedge, you then shorten the excessively long, upper branches and trim the hedge to the desired height. It should be slightly narrower at the top than at the bottom to ensure the most even sunlight.
- In the case of standard trees, maintain the crown shape by thinning out and shortening the excessively long shoots. All new shoots on the trunk below the crown should also be removed.
- Electric hedge shears could badly damage your photinia’s leaves, so it is best to use a pair of hand scissors.
In addition to some species of photinia, beech trees are also well suited for hedge planting. We show you how to prune beech hedge properly.
