Flowering shrubs · pruning calendar
When to prune forsythia
Prune forsythia right after its yellow flowers fade in spring. It blooms on last year’s wood, so pruning later in the year removes next spring’s flowers.
Forsythia pruning by month
| Climate | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coldzones 3–5 | January: Don’t prune now | February: Don’t prune now | March: Don’t prune now | April: Don’t prune now | May: Prune now | June: Prune now | July: Don’t prune now | August: Don’t prune now | September: Don’t prune now | October: Don’t prune now | November: Don’t prune now | December: Don’t prune now |
| Temperatezones 6–8 | January: Don’t prune now | February: Don’t prune now | March: Don’t prune now | April: Prune now | May: Prune now | June: Don’t prune now | July: Don’t prune now | August: Don’t prune now | September: Don’t prune now | October: Don’t prune now | November: Don’t prune now | December: Don’t prune now |
| Warmzones 9–11 | January: Don’t prune now | February: Don’t prune now | March: Prune now | April: Prune now | May: Prune now | June: Don’t prune now | July: Don’t prune now | August: Don’t prune now | September: Don’t prune now | October: Don’t prune now | November: Don’t prune now | December: Don’t prune now |
- Prune now
- Wait
- Don’t prune now
- Don’t prune now It blooms on last year’s wood. Winter cuts remove this spring’s flowers.
- Don’t prune now Next spring’s flower buds are already set. Pruning now cuts them off.
- Prune now Flowers just faded. Pruning now gives new shoots all summer to set next spring’s buds.
How to cut: Cut a few of the oldest stems to the ground each year rather than shearing the top. Shearing leaves a dense, flowerless shell.
Sources
Months are grouped into broad USDA zone bands, so local weather, elevation and the plant itself still have the final say.
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