No written rule says how to prune rose of Sharon, and making a good pruning will depend largely on the expertise of the person who performs the pruning. However, there are some tips to keep in mind when pruning the rose of Sharon. To make sure everything goes smoothly, I am going to tell you some tips about rose of Sharon pruning. Are you ready?
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Benefits of Rose of Sharon Pruning
The purpose of pruning the rose of Sharon is to redirect its energy and release damaged or wilted stems, leaves, and flowers. This is a very important task in the care of our plant, since cutting some parts will improve its development and appearance.
The objectives of rose of Sharon pruning are several:
- To favor the illumination and aeration in the stem of the plant.
- Encourage the growth of the plant.
- Elimination of damaged, broken, or dried branches, leaves, or flowers, which can also harbor parasites.
- Improve flowering.
- Enhance color.
It is necessary to pay special attention and to know what type of pruning the plant needs since bad pruning can be very harmful. There are maintenance pruning, flowering pruning, rejuvenation pruning,… We will see them below.
When Should Rose of Sharon Be Pruned?
In general, a good time to prune the rose of Sharon is right at the beginning of spring before the plant becomes active again and as long as the risk of frost has disappeared. This will allow for less loss of sap, and as the growth stage is approaching, the wounds will begin to heal. In the case of climates with cold winters, pruning in autumn can be a good option. Seasonal pruning is done annually.
Maintenance pruning or cleaning of the rose of Sharon can be done at any time of the year. It should be done as soon as the offshoots begin to sprout, that is, those twigs that come out between the main stem and the branches. Ideally, they should be removed when they are less than 2” (5 cm) long. Learn more about when to prune hibiscus for winter.
How to Prune Rose of Sharon
To prune rose of Sharon you simply need pruning shears, previously disinfected with alcohol, and gloves. There are several types of pruning depending on what we want to achieve, let’s see them.
Prune Rose of Sharon – Cleaning Pruning
The objective of cleaning pruning, also called maintenance pruning, is to leave space for new healthy branches to grow and to eliminate undesirable elements from the plant. This pruning is done along with the other maintenance tasks throughout the year.
First, we will eliminate the offshoots in the following way:
We will locate the secondary shoots or offshoots, which appear between the first leaves and the main stem.
Then cut the offshoots carefully, cutting as close as possible to the main stem without damaging it. It is best to do this when the shoot is less than 2” (5 cm) long.
Cut the shoots diagonally so that the water can flow. This will prevent water from remaining in the wound and rotting.
Then we will eliminate the following undesirable elements:
Dry, yellowed, or diseased stems and leaves, which may contain parasites.
Wilted flowers, which spoil the appearance and consume the plant’s energy.
Shoots that may have emerged from the same root.
Crossed stems, poorly oriented or that entangle the plant.
Flowering Pruning
Flowering pruning is done annually, normally at the end of winter or the beginning of spring, and its objective is to increase the flowering of the plant. Proceed as follows:
Pruning in winter, when the most intense cold weather has passed, around mid-February.
The buds that have flowered will never bloom again and, therefore, they must be eliminated so that new ones can emerge.
Flowering pruning can be done at the same time as cleaning pruning.
Do not cut the stems that have not flowered, as these are the ones that will flower next year.
Remember, the best thing for the plant to flower strong and vigorous is a humid environment and plenty of light.
Renovation or Rejuvenation Pruning
Its main objective is to eliminate the aged parts of the plant, to replace them with new and younger shoots. It is a renewal pruning that will give strength to the plant and generate new shoots.
It is a drastic pruning, to rejuvenate the rose of Sharon, although it can also be done progressively.
Drastic pruning for rejuvenation: In the first case what we will do is to cut the whole plant at ground level. This should only be done if the specimen has the strength to support it and then ensuring watering and fertilizing.
Progressive pruning of rejuvenation: It consists of eliminating 50% of the branches, cutting them at the level of their insertion. The branches that remain are cut to half their length or only a third of the tip on the best bud we can find on it.
We hope this article on how to prune the rose of Sharon will be useful. We recommend our article on when to prune apple trees.
