The vibrant blooms of a hibiscus plant have become synonymous with the summer season, both on holidays in more tropical climes and in many English gardens. But to keep the plant healthy and strong and its flowers big and abundant, there is a lot of out of season care that goes into it upkeep. This includes pruning and knowing when to prune hibiscus.
Mastering the technique of how to prune hibiscus is very important indeed. But choosing your timing right is just as key if not more so.
That’s why we’ve turned to our all-knowing gardening pros to reveal what the best time to prune hibiscus is and why. So hold off putting your pruning shears to work until you find out.
When to prune hibiscus
Similarly to knowing when to prune roses, cutting back your hibiscus at the right time of the year is just as important.
‘Pruning hibiscus is an important part of the plant's care routine for healthy growth and knowing the right time to do it is crucial for its blooming potential,’ explains Petar Ivanov, gardening and plant expert at Fantastic Gardeners.
'Pruning hibiscus is a great way to keep your shrub in good shape,' continues Fiona Jenkins, garden expert at MyJobQuote.co.uk. 'This ensures the outer branches don’t become too weighty and light and air can get to the centre. Hibiscus plants tend to grow tall, so pruning your plant annually while it’s still young will give you more attractive, bushy growth. Removing the old, dead and diseased branches will keep your hibiscus healthy.’
It’s good to know why you’re doing something to give you a boost of motivation. In this case, it’s a healthy hibiscus plant with an abundance of big, juicy flowers.
Perhaps incidentally, the time when to prune hibiscus is quite similar to when you should be pruning your hydrangeas.
‘The best time to prune hibiscus in the UK is in late winter to early spring, around February to March, depending on the season's conditions, before you notice any new growth,’ advises Steve Chilton, garden expert from LeisureBench. ‘This offers plenty of time to allow new growth to develop before its blooming season.’
When not to prune hibiscus
While there is the perfect time to prune your hibiscus (February to March), there are also times when you should definitely avoid doing it.
‘Avoid pruning hibiscus during its active growing season, especially in late spring and summer, because it can reduce blooming and stress the plant,’ warns Petar. ‘Instead, stick to late winter to early spring for your pruning. Also, if you wait too long into spring to prune, you risk cutting off new growth that has already started so aim for late winter or very early spring before new growth becomes too evident.’
Other times to avoid pruning hibiscus are during any extreme weather conditions. ‘Avoid pruning hibiscus during extremely hot or cold weather because it can stress the plant further. Instead, choose a mild, dry day for your pruning,’ Petar adds.
FAQs
Which month is best for pruning hibiscus?
The ideal time to prune hibiscus is from late winter to early spring, which generally falls between February and March.
‘As most hibiscus plants don’t flower until mid to late summer, you’re usually ok to prune them until late spring, but around March is best,’ recommends garden expert Fiona.
Does hibiscus need to be cut back in winter?
It’s not advised to prune hibiscus before or during the height of winter. Instead, this should be left until late winter/early spring.
‘I recommend avoiding pruning directly after flowering for the majority of outdoor-growing hibiscus plants in the UK. This is in order to prevent the flowers from being damaged by the frost and cold of the winter,’ explains garden pro Steve.
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