7 Shrubs to Cut Back Now for More Summer Flowers

Getting the timing right is half the battle when it comes to pruning flowering shrubs. Prune at the wrong time, and you’ll lop off developing flower buds. Or prune too late in the growing season, and you run the risk of making the plant vulnerable to winter damage.

Here is a list of 7 common landscape shrubs that benefit from a significant trim early in the year before the growing season starts. If the weather is mild, you can even trim them back in late winter. So grab your pruners and cut with confidence, knowing that these 7 shrubs thrive when trimmed early in the season.

Bloom Time Matters

Let bloom time guide you when you prune flowering shrubs. If a shrub blooms in spring, prune it soon after the flowers fade. By midsummer, a spring-flowering shrub will begin developing flower buds for the following spring. If you prune these early bloomers in late winter or early spring, you will cut off all the soon-to-open flower buds. Bottom line: Prune spring-flowering shrubs soon after they bloom.

Shrubs that flower in summer and fall are best pruned in early spring. Generally, their flower buds form by late spring on new wood that has grown in the current year. Trimming them in early spring makes way for an abundant bloom later in the season.

1. Bluebeard

With its long-lasting summer flowers, bluebeard (Caryopteris incana) is a pollinator magnet. In colder climates, the stems die back to ground level. Plants will grow quickly, standing about 3 feet tall and wide by midsummer.

Pruning tips: Wait until new growth appears so you can accurately cut stems to where new growth is sprouting. Prune to remove dead growth and shape the plant.

2. Summer-Blooming Spireas

Easy-care summer-blooming spireas are known for their neat and tidy shape and weeks of flowers. Light pruning in early spring encourages strong stems that will support the flowers, along with dense, leafy growth.

Pruning tips: Use a pair of sharp hand pruners to shape spirea in early spring, creating a natural mounded form. Every couple of years remove the oldest woody stems back to ground level to promote vigorous new growth and a dense habit.

3. Butterfly Bush

Don't jump to the conclusion that your butterfly bush did not survive the winter. Like the rose of Sharon, it is one of the last shrubs to emerge from dormancy in late spring, and once it starts growing, it will do so aggressively to the point of becoming invasive in some areas.

Pruning tips: Cut plants back to ground level in spring to maintain a pleasing, somewhat compact form. Note, however, that dwarf butterfly bushes, such as the Lo & Behold series, grow slowly and require little or no pruning; do not cut them back to ground level but only shape them gently as needed.

4. Potentilla

A tough shrub that tolerates conditions ranging from drought to infertile soil, potentilla (Potentilla fruticosa) can take on a wayward, unkempt appearance if not pruned annually in spring. A few minutes of pruning will keep this hardworking shrub in shape.

Pruning tactics: Prune to shape the plant in early spring, removing dead wood. Every 3 to 5 years, cut one-third of the branches back to ground level to promote dense growth.

5. Shrub Roses

Known for their robust growth and long flower period, shrub roses (Rosa spp.) benefit from regular, significant spring pruning. In cold regions, pruning is often a must-do task to cut out the dead wood brought on by harsh winter conditions.

Pruning tips: Prune in midspring when buds turn green and begin to swell. Remove any dead or damaged wood. Encourage good airflow in the center of the plant by removing several stems to ground level. Cut remaining stems back by one-third their length.

6. Rose of Sharon

Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) is one of the latest shrubs to leaf out in spring, so if you are unfamiliar with this plant, you might assume the leafless stems are dead, but they are simply still dormant. Scratch a twig with your fingernail to reveal the tissue under the bark. If it is white or green, the twig is alive, and you can look forward to bold colored flowers.

Pruning tips: Prune rose of Sharon anytime in late winter or early spring before the leaves emerge in early spring because it is easier to see and shape the shrub when it's leafless. The goal of pruning is to maintain the natural vase shape with upright stems. Remove as much as one-third of the growth to shape the plant.

7. Smooth and Panicle Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas are tricky to prune; they defy conventional wisdom regarding bloom time and pruning. Both the smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) and the panicle hydrangea (H. paniculata) are best pruned in early spring. All other types of hydrangeas, including bigleaf, oakleaf, and climbing hydrangea, should be pruned minimally right after they flower.

Pruning tips: In early spring, cut off all remaining dead flower clusters. Shape plants as desired, removing as much as one-third of the growth. Cutting stems back by one-third their height will help plants resist flopping under the weight of the flowers.