When to prune

Plants that bloom on new wood are pruned in late winter; those that bloom on old wood are pruned right after flowering. Spring bloomers (old wood) are pruned right after flowering, because next year's buds form in summer. Summer bloomers (new wood) are pruned in late winter or early spring.

Blooms on 1-year-old canes

• Grape

Blooms on 1-year-old wood

• Peach, nectarine and plum

Blooms on 2-year canes (floricanes); fall raspberries on 1-year canes

• Blackberry and raspberry

Blooms on foliage

• Boxwood
• Hedges: privet, ligustrum, photinia, euonymus
• Junipers, arborvitae, yews (needled evergreens)
• Nandina
• Pines and spruces

Blooms on foliage (berries on old wood)

• Holly (evergreen)

Blooms on group 1 old wood; group 2 both; group 3 new wood

• Clematis (by group)

Blooms on n/a

• Elm (Dutch elm disease timing)
• Maples, birches, walnut ('bleeders')
• Oak (oak wilt timing)
• Ornamental grasses
• Palms
• Shade trees, general (structural)

Blooms on new wood

• Butterfly bush (Buddleja)
• Crape myrtle
• Glossy abelia
• Hydrangea, panicle (H. paniculata: Limelight, Quick Fire)
• Hydrangea, smooth (H. arborescens: Annabelle, Incrediball)
• Lantana, perennial salvias and other woody Southern perennials
• Roses, hybrid tea and grandiflora
• Roses, shrub and landscape (Knock Out®, Drift®)
• Spirea, summer-blooming (Japanese, bumald)

Blooms on old and new wood

• Fig

Blooms on old wood

• Azalea
• Blueberry
• Camellia
• Dogwood and redbud
• Forsythia
• Gardenia
• Hydrangea, climbing (H. anomala petiolaris)
• Hydrangea, oakleaf (H. quercifolia)
• Lilac
• Loropetalum
• Magnolia
• Rhododendron
• Spirea, spring-blooming (bridal wreath, Vanhoutte)
• Viburnum
• Weigela

Blooms on old wood (once-bloomers)

• Roses, climbing and once-blooming old roses

Blooms on old wood (rebloomers also bloom on new wood)

• Hydrangea, bigleaf/mophead and lacecap (H. macrophylla)

Blooms on old wood (spurs)

• Apple and pear
• Wisteria

Blooms on spurs/old wood

• Cherry

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