24 Plants You Should Be Pruning In Spring To Keep Them Happy And Healthy

With winter on its way out, your itch to work the soil has certainly grown stronger. Besides, isn't it about time your perennials and shrubs got down to business and commenced blooming their heads off? However, before your garden is splashed in a wash of color and texture, there is one thorny task you must get through: pruning. Whether to shape the plant, control its size, or improve its vigor, pruning is essential for all these goals. But for it to be successful, you must nail the right timing and the technique. Confused? For multiple reasons, which revolve around when plants bloom or put out active growth, not all plants tolerate pruning well in spring. But there are a few that do, and we'll discuss them below.

Essentially, when thinking about plants to prune in spring, you must focus on winter-blooming shrubs, like mahonia, that have exhausted all blooms and can be rejuvenated before they prepare for next season. Or, their summer-flowering counterparts, like Russian sage, that can be refreshed before budding. You should also delay pruning to spring for marginal hardy perennials, such as black-eyed Susans, anise hyssops, and garden mums, so they may sidestep winter injury. In contrast, some flowers, like purple coneflowers and blazing stars, should be pruned in spring to aid pollinators. Certain hydrangea and rose shrubs should also be pruned when the mercury rises to inspire their best performance. Still feeling lost? Follow through to discover the plants you should prune in spring and how.

Due to their shallow roots that heave out during thaw-freeze cycles, garden mums (Chrysanthemum spp.) have a difficult time overwintering in the garden. Moreover, without protection, their foliage can die back from ice accumulation. Yet, it's been found that garden mums have a better chance of returning reliably next year if they're pruned in early spring rather than in the winter. Old foliage covered with a 4-inch-thick mulch can keep their roots insulated. So, once your mums grow about 4 inches in the spring, shear their branch tips. This will encourage dense growth while keeping the plant compact.

Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) is a popular purple plant that will fill your garden with hummingbirds and butterflies — until its foliage dies in the fall. However, rather than pulling out your pruning shears for fall cleanup, wait for spring to cut back its stems. That's because the top growth will shield the plant from winter wetness and snow, keeping its cold hardiness intact. Not to mention, many birds depend on its dry seedheads for winter food. Once the plant begins sprouting new leaves, chop the dead branches. This will improve branch density, ensuring a bushier clump.

Prized in seaside gardens for their salt tolerance, Montauk daisy (Nipponanthemum nipponicum) or Nippon daisy is another flowering perennial that should be pruned in spring. Since it tends to spread out during the growth season, cutting it back beforehand can help keep it contained without requiring staking. However, don't prune it to ground level every year because it will keep the stems weak. Instead, stick to pruning the top 4 inches (mostly the branch tips) to inspire hardier stems. To encourage a dense habit, however, you may prune the plant down to 6 inches.

Red-hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria) or torch lily is another plant that will benefit from spring pruning. Although hardy through zone 5, it doesn't fare well in winter. For this reason, old foliage is maintained (and often bundled up toward the center) to protect the root crowns from cold damage. So, gardeners must wait for the temperatures to warm up before tidying up its appearance. Before red-hot poker plants begin producing new leaves, cut back their old stems and foliage to 3 inches above ground level. Be cautious not to cut too near the root crown.

If you've planted black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia spp.) to attract common birds you might find in your garden in winter (like goldfinches), cutting it back in spring is ideal. These birds nibble on the seeds and harbor in the dead foliage, no matter how unsightly. Moreover, the dead foliage helps insulate the root crown. For these reasons, wait until the winter's transition into spring to prune the plant to the ground. Be careful not to damage the newly sprouting green basal leaves. One exception to this rule? If the plant foliage turns black in the fall, prune it immediately.

Love your 'Annabelle' hydrangea? Well, bring out your loppers, as this hydrangea variety loves a massive pruning in early spring. Indeed, all smooth hydrangeas (Hydrangea arborescens), of which 'Annabelle' is but one cultivar, appreciate hard pruning after they've grown to a considerable size in your garden. As most pests are still overwintering, they're unlikely to turn opportunists who enter via pruning wounds. Also, buds remain intact as they sprout right before flowering. Simply cut back the plant to 12 inches above ground to stimulate robust growth. Make heading cuts about ¼ inch above any live buds.

Theoretically, panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) and its cultivars like 'Limelight' and 'Grandiflora' can be pruned in the fall. But since their standing flowering stems provide beautiful winter interest, they're usually pruned in early spring. As panicle hydrangeas bloom on new wood, spring pruning doesn't risk their buds, giving them ample recovery time until they're ready to flower in late summer. For better shaping and healthy growth, remove any dead, leggy, and diseased branches as hydrangeas begin to green up. But cut back about ⅓ of the oldest stems to the ground for size containment or rejuvenation of mature plants.

Grown for their fragrant blooms that add much-appreciated winter interest, Mahonia (Mahonia spp.) shrubs — regardless of the variety — are strong contenders for spring pruning. As they tend to grow leggy and scraggly over time, cutting them back encourages the plant to grow new stems, creating a thicker bush. Usually, you can clip the oldest branches (they'll be furrowed) to refresh their look. But if you're trying to shape a mature plant, prune the stems according to their age. For instance, the oldest stems get pruned to 12 inches, while the recent growth is clipped at 18 or 24 inches.

Prune summersweet or sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia) in spring so you do not lose out on its heavenly fragrance. Given its 10-foot physique, summersweet requires infrequent pruning to keep its rounded form in shape and wayward branches in check. But you must time it well, preferably when it's greening up, so you don't amputate any developing buds. For size control, remove ⅓ of the oldest growth (aka longest stems)–however it pleases you if you're going for an informal look. Otherwise, simply prune deformed, weak, winter-killed, or crossing stems to refresh summersweet's appearance.

Although you can prune little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) by late winter, resist the urge. Apart from adding structure and visual interest with its papery red seedheads, it also serves as a crucial food, cover, and habitat source for birds right through March. That's why any pruning is best carried out in early spring when it's still dormant and hasn't started leafing out. Simply shear the plant down to 2 inches, though if you care for height, stop when the leaves are 4 inches long. This will bring back a fuller plant during the growth season.

Like little bluestem, switch grass (Panicum virgatum) is a warm-season ornamental grass that's left as is in winter gardens for its beige foliage and wildlife value. However, to encourage new growth, you must prune the grassy plants in early spring before they resume growth late into the season. As the grasses have thick stems, consider bundling their clumps around their centers with a cord to make the process easier. Then, shave off their growth with an electric pruner. Keep the pruned height between 3 and 6 inches. You can compost the dead foliage.

Even though witch hazel (Hamamelis spp.) is a slow grower, it requires occasional pruning to keep it within bounds because of its spreading habit. Around spring, after the evergreen shrub has bloomed, cut back dead, damaged, caterpillar-infested, or crossing stems to their origin. Those who maintain witch hazel in its tree-form will need to prune it way more frequently to get rid of prominent suckers and lower branches that inhibit ground clearance. This is especially important for grafted hybrids whose rootstocks may take over the scion.

When neglected, camellias (Camellias spp.) can grow unwieldy, producing a high number of leaves rather than blooms. So, to improve their appearance and flower quality, consider pruning camellias in late spring after their flower show is complete. Start by removing any damaged, drooping, wonky, or crossing branches down to the main stem. This will improve air circulation, keeping diseases at bay. Also, clip out the watersprouts emerging from their lower branches. For a bushier look, prune the older stems down to the desired length. Make sure to cut right above the bud without leaving any ugly stubs.

Blazing star (Liatris spp.) is another flowering perennial whose cleanup should be held off until March when trying to make space for new basal shoots. Certain bees nest inside liatris' dead stalks after overwintering. So, having the stalks handy in early spring ensures their population size is sustainable. Besides, the standing stalks continue serving as winter appetizers for myriad birds until new growth becomes available. When the temperatures warm to 50 degrees Fahrenheit, clean up all the dead foliage. Prune the stems to between 12 and 18 inches to encourage the entry of nesting bees.

Like the blazing star, purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) attracts various solitary bees like Ceratina and Hylaeus to lay their eggs inside its hollow stems — they don't go after healthy tissues. Once the adults emerge from winter dormancy, they seek cut stalks, which is why pruning purple coneflower in spring is preferable. After removing the dead leaves–but before the plants leaf out–trim the stems to under 18 inches (but don't go lower than 12 inches) to reinvigorate the plant. However, if common pests are after your coneflower (think eriophyid mites), cut back the plant immediately after flowering.

Generally, penstemons (Penstemons spp.) can get by with little to no pruning. However, some species like two-leaf beardtongue (P. diphyllus), sand penstemon (P. ambiguous), and whorled Penstemon (P. triphyllus) should be pruned to stimulate new stem growth and a bushier habit. This activity can be carried out in early spring (because who wants to trudge through the garden in biting cold?), trimming the plant to around 4 to 6 inches above ground. However, if you're growing hybrids or cultivars, delay their pruning to late spring to ensure the new wood remains undamaged while clearing dead foliage and old stems.

This might surprise some, but pruning red twig dogwood (Cornus sericea) or any other coral or yellow-stemmed dogwood can help improve its color, aside from its form. As they grow gray with time, annually removing about ⅓ of the oldest branches gives way to new stems with brighter colors. Undertake this activity in early spring before the plant greens up. However, if your dogwood has overgrown into a bushy thicket of brittle, damaged branches, cut it back fully to the ground. The new branches will be upright and vibrant. Repeat rejuvenation pruning every couple of years.

Unless you've created a naturalistic setting, consider pruning Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia). As this subshrub ages, it grows more woody, leading to a terrible sacrifice of blooms and leaves, necessitating a cut back. You should be pruning it in early spring because the dead foliage (despite suffering winter dieback in colder areas) insulates the roots, keeping them alive. Otherwise, you would have to mulch the beds. As for the technique, simply whack the growth down to 6 inches (or at 1 foot if you want to keep them higher) when the plants start to wake up.

Like many other plants on this list, hardy fuchsias (Fuchsia magellanica) also benefit when their stems are left standing through the winter to shield their crowns from the cold. That being said, if your foliage is fully winter-killed, prune the plant to its base to encourage regrowth. But if the old growth is intact, wait until mid-spring (no later than June) for the plant to leaf out and set new buds. At that point, remove any dead, wonky, or straggly stems. Next, cut back the plant to 6 inches. Feed them when they rise by another 2 inches.

Pruning shrub or landscape roses, including Knockout roses, is amply important to maintain plant vigor. For this task, start by removing any winter-killed, decaying, diseased, or damaged stems once the shrubs bud out in early spring. This helps differentiate between dead and living tissue. In an overgrown mound, you might have to chop down over 20% of the oldest stems to the base to open up their centers. Thinning out the stems helps lower disease pressure while improving flower quality. To maintain size, lop off ½ of the existing growth; otherwise, remove ⅔ of the top growth for size containment.

Unlike shrub roses, hybrid tea roses require hard pruning to ensure vigorous growth and flowering, as they can take significant winter damage. Come spring (around March end to mid-April), clip off the browning and injured stems down to live buds, but remove dead stems entirely. Remove crossing branches, too, as friction creates wounds, becoming a hotbed for diseases. Afterward — and this is the hard part — you must choose around three to six healthiest canes and cut back the rest to 1 inch from the ground. Further, trim the retained canes to between 12 and 18 inches.

The best time to prune your weigela plant (Weigela florida) is in early spring when you can take stock of the winter damage and prune the stems severely (if required) to get them back in the groove. If the damage isn't much, remove the dry, brittle wood (without live buds). Next, shear off about ⅓ of the oldest stems to their base to encourage new shoot growth and abundant flowering toward the spring end. As weigelas can push out another flush, consider pruning them again after the first blooms. However, don't bother with pruning if you're growing a dwarf variety.

Another plant you should prune in spring — at least every alternate year — is Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius). You can undertake pruning in early spring before the plant puts out new leaves or immediately after flowering in late spring. Irrespective of the schedule, focus on eliminating dead and diseased branches to their origin. Later, thin out the interior canopy by pruning no more than ⅓ of the thickest stems (could be one or five, depending on mature size). However, if you have never pruned a ninebark in its lifetime, shear it down to 6 inches to bring it back stronger next year.

Pruning potentillas (Potentilla spp.) in early spring affords them ample time to set new buds so they're ready to flower in the summer. To prune them, wait until the shrubs leaf out. Then, snip about 30% of their oldest canes (usually the thickest stems) to revitalize the plant. Also, prune any deceased canes to their base. Remember, potentillas tend to grow leggy after four years, so they'll need rejuvenation pruning. Cut back the plant to about 4 inches and wait for regrowth. Note: certain varieties like Potentilla recta are invasive in some states; remove them instead of pruning.