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Cass County Extension |
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Cass County Extension |
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When to Prune |
Deciduous Trees
| Name | Time of Pruning | |
| Ash | Anytime (early spring before leafing out is ideal) | |
| Birch & Ironwood | To prevent bleeding, prune after fully leafed out | |
| Canada Red Cherry, Chokecherry and Hawthorns | For optimum flowering and fruiting, prune after flowering; otherwise prune before leafing | |
| Cottonwoods, Poplars, Aspen and Willows | Anytime (early spring before leafing out is ideal) | |
| Elm | To prevent bleeding, prune after fully leafed out | |
| Flowering Crabs, Mountain Ash and Ornamental Pears | Before tree leafs out in spring | |
| Hackberry | Anytime (early spring before leafing out is ideal) | |
| Honeylocust | To prevent bleeding, prune after fully leafed out (dry periods in summer is best) | |
| Linden | Anytime (early spring before leafing out is ideal) | |
| Maples including Boxelder | To prevent bleeding, prune after fully leafed out | |
| Oaks | Anytime (early spring before leafing out is ideal) January, February (if Oak Wilt is a concern) | |
| Ohio Buckeye | Anytime (early spring before leafing out is ideal) | |
| Russian Olive | Early spring before leafing out | |
| Tree Lilac | For optimum flowering, prune after flowering; otherwise prune before leafing out | |
| Walnut & Butternut | To prevent bleeding, prune after fully leafed out |
Deciduous Shrubs
| Name | Time of Pruning | |
| Azalea | Prune as little as possible; early spring before new growth | |
| Japanese Barberry | Early spring before new growth; during season for hedge | |
| Buckthorn | Early spring before new growth | |
| Caraganas (Peashrubs) | After flowering; early spring if cutting back severly | |
| Cotoneaster | Early spring before new growth; during growing season for hedge (fireblight can be a serious problem) | |
| Alpine Currant | Early spring; during growing season for hedge | |
| Dogwoods | Early spring; during season for hedge | |
| Euonymus (Burning Bush) | Early spring before new growth | |
| Forsythia | After flowering | |
| Honeysuckles (Large) | After flowering; early spring if cutting back severely | |
| Honeysuckles (Miniglobe etc) | Early spring before new growth | |
| Hydrangea | Early spring before new growth | |
| Lilac | After flowering; early spring if cutting back severely | |
| Mockoranges | After flowering; early spring if cutting back severely | |
| Golden Mockorange | Early spring; during growing season | |
| Ninebark | Early spring; during growing season for formal hedge | |
| Flowering Plum | After flowering; early spring if cutting back severely | |
| Potentilla | Early Spring before new growth | |
| Purpleleaf Sandcherry | Early spring before new growth | |
| Shrub Roses | Early spring before new growth | |
| Low Growing Spireas | Early spring before new growth | |
| Large White Flowering Spireas | After flowering; early spring if cutting back severely | |
| Sumac | Early spring before new growth | |
| Viburnums (Cranberry, Arrowwood Nannyberry & Wayfaring Tree) | After flowering or early spring before new growth | |
| Weigela | Early Spring before new growth |
* To Rejuvenate, cut shrubs back in early spring before leafing out
Evergreens
| Name | Time of Pruning | |
| Arborvitae,Junipers & Yews | Late spring to late summer (not after August 15th) | |
| Pine | After new growth has elongated but before it forms a new bud is best time. | |
| Spruce | Just before buds open or just after new growth is fully extended is the best time |
* When pruning evergreens never remove all the green foliage from a stem or branch.
This page was last updated July 2002
| Todd Weinmann, Extension Horticulturist & Master Gardener Coordinator |
| Phone: (701) 241-5707 |
| E-mail: tweinman@ndsuext.nodak.edu |
