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When's best to cut back an evergreen Ceanothus?

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I think it's Burkwoodii, 13 years old, 8ft high, inseparably intertwined with a nearby Jasmine. I would happily leave them but they keeled away from fence in heavy snow 18 months ago and have become an obstruction. They would have to be cut back to wood; will they revive?


On plant Ceanothus burkwoodii


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They might, they might not, its always a gamble with Ceanothus - but don't do it now, do it in the spring - can't remember if this one flowers springtime, but if it does, do it immediately its finished. If its a later one, you might need to sacrifice the flowers and still do it in the spring anyway.

6 Sep, 2009

 

It flowers in late Spring. What will happen if we cut it back in very early spring, or even late winter - might it show something by Spring? It's in a very prominent position so I'm trying to minimise the time when the area is just bare and woody.

6 Sep, 2009

 

Ceanothus is not a long lived shrub anyway and they tend to be a bit prima donna-ish - if you leave it till spring, when growth is beginning, you'll have more chance that the shrub will cope with drastic pruning - it will flower again the following year anyway, and you may even get some later flowers next year.

7 Sep, 2009

 

mine was getting out of hand so as soon as the flowers had gone over.i cut it back hard, very hard right back to its branches.i was a bit worried it looked dreadfull but now a few months later it looks just fine and as thickened up nicely and it should not need cutting back so hard again for a few years .

7 Sep, 2009

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