Author Keri Byrum Updated 1-28-2022
Do you want to keep your loropetalum plants contained and in a tight shape? Cutting your loropetalum back can help solve that problem. Pruning loropetalum is easy to do and will reward you with healthy plants for many years.
When to Prune Loropetalum
The best time to trim loropetalum is right after it has finished flowering. This late spring and early summer time frame will be the best time of year to prune loropetalum because it will be growing quickly and will return to a full shape again.
If you are wondering if it is too late to prune your loropetalum just know that the biggest risk is that a very late pruning will reduce the amount of flowers in the spring. Your plants will continue to grow no matter what time of year you cut your loropetalum back.
How to Prune Loropetalum
Step 1 – Determine pruning goals
Before you begin it is important to decide why you are pruning your loropetalum and to what size you want it to be. Decide iff you are just trying to keep the shape controlled or if you are wanting overgrown plants to be smaller in size. If your hedge is too tall, determine what size you want it to be when finished.
Step 2 – Remove wayward branches
If there are simply a few unruly branches to your plants then you can use pruners or hedge shears to trim them back to the remainder of the plant.
Step 3 – Hedge trimming loropetalum
Loropetalum hedges may need to be trimmed more than once a year to keep a compact shape. Use shears to trim branches back to the desired height. To keep your loropetalum hedge full from top to bottom it helps to make the base slightly wider than the top. This enables the lower leaves to get the sunlight they need to keep growing.
Why Do You Prune Loropetalum
The number one reason to prune loropetalum is because they have become overgrown and are larger than desired. There are many varieties of loropetalum available, and with the different sizes to choose from it is possible to find a loropetalum that will need little to no pruning.
If you have a loropetalum hedge that is getting very thin on the bottom, trimming it (and especially the top) will help to rejuvenate the plant and encourage new growth where there is now light reaching the branches.
Loropetalum Pruning Tips
- Try to find the variety of loropetalum that will fit your location and rarely need to be pruned.
- Loropetalum are best pruned in early summer after flowering.
- Older plants can be rejuvenated by pruning back.