6 Shrubs You Should Trim Before Winter (and 3 You Can Skip), According to a Garden Pro

When to prune shrubs is one of those challenging questions with no single easy answer. Some experts recommend pruning in late winter or early spring, and, in most cases, this is an appropriate time for heavy pruning to shape and encourage new growth.

Exceptions are shrubs that bloom on old wood and should be cut back just after flowering. There are benefits, though, to pruning other types of shrubs in the fall before winter weather arrives.

We’ll look at why timing is important for healthy growth and abundant blooming, along with examples of shrubs to cut back now and others to leave alone until next year

Why Pruning Timing Can Make or Break Shrub Health

Pruning shrubs before winter has advantages and disadvantages depending on plant type and growth pattern. Shrubs that bloom on old wood, like big leaf hydrangeas and lilacs, are already forming buds, so pruning in fall reduces next season’s flowering.

Waiting until late winter or early spring to prune most other shrubs, including evergreens and shrubs that flower on new wood, stimulates new bud formation as the plant moves out of dormancy.

For shrubs that grow rapidly during summer or require controlled pruning to produce flowers, cutting back before winter supports healthy growth for next season. Open form shrubs are vulnerable to damage from wind, ice, and snow. Fall pruning provides greater stability and reduces the chances of damaged branches.

Rapid growers can look unsightly and messy once foliage has dropped. Removing excessive growth supports better light and air circulation. Pruning shrubs prone to fungal infections, like peonies, prohibits disease from overwintering in plant debris.

The key factor is to hold off until plants move into dormancy. Cutting back too soon spurs new growth too tender to survive winter conditions and makes for more work in early spring.

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6 Shrubs to Cut Before Winter Arrives

• Smooth and panicle hydrangeas: These hydrangea species bloom on new wood and benefit from a more compact shape, especially in areas with harsh winters.
• Chaste tree: This rapidly growing shrub (up to 3 feet per year) can be trained to tree form. Prune out multiple shoots growing from the crown for better light and air circulation.
• Spirea: This rapidly growing shrub can add up to 2 feet annually with small, dense branching. Prune early spring bloomers after flowering. For summer bloomers, cut shrubs back by up to one-third to improve light and air circulation.
• Peony: Prone to leaf spot and powdery mildew, peonies should be cut back to 2 to 3 inches to discourage overwintering pests and disease. Be sure to remove debris from around the crown.
• Wisteria: Although botanically considered a vine, wisteria can be grown as a shrub, flowering on lateral branches, like grapes. Once plants are dormant, cut back long, strappy branches to two to three buds from a primary branch or main trunk.
• Knockout roses: Different from most other rose species, Knockout varieties bloom on new wood. Long, slender canes can be pruned up to one-third for a compact plant with better resistance to wind, snow and ice.

3 Shrubs to Leave Until Spring

For some early flowering shrubs, waiting until plants are just coming out of dormancy encourages a better display of late spring and summer flowers. Evergreens are vulnerable to winter damage, so wait until new growth emerges in spring.

• Boxwood: Pruning around the first flush of new growth helps direct the desired growth pattern throughout the season, although a light summer trim may be required to maintain shape.
• Holly: Shape holly in spring before new growth appears. A light summer trim after stems harden is okay, but fall pruning reduces flowering and berries.
• Red twig dogwood: Dogwoods need to mature three to four years before old canes are cut close to ground level in late winter or early spring. The desired red color appears on new stems, so once your plant matures, remove up to one-third of the oldest stems to stimulate new growth while the plant is still in dormancy.

How to Maintain Shrubs Without Heavy Pruning

Not all shrubs require heavy annual pruning, but removing suckers and dead, diseased, or crossing branches supports healthy growth and can be done any time.