Top 10 Perennials Requiring Spring Pruning for Healthy Growth
Spring Pruning for Your Perennials
Hey there, gardening enthusiasts! It's high time to spruce up those perennials, as they're blossoming once more. By trimming back, you'll be stirring up new growth and even warding off diseases. However, not all perennials require the same approach, so we talked to professional gardeners to help you get it right with the top ten perennials you should cut back every spring.
Lorraine Ballato, a renowned garden and hydrangea expert, and the award-winning author of Success With Hydrangeas: A Gardener's GuideTeri Speight, a landscape gardener, garden coach, and podcast host, and the author of The Urban Garden
10 Perennials You Should Always Cut Back in Spring, Based on Pro Gardeners' Advice
1. Black-Eyed Susan
While it's delightful to let the birds enjoy black-eyed Susans' seeds over winter, come spring, you can trim down the remaining vegetation and tidy up. The beautiful, vibrant yellow blooms are just waiting to shine!
- Factoid: Several varieties of black-eyed Susans grow well in zones 3 to 9.
- Growth: These plants can reach a mature size of around 24 inches tall and 12 inches wide.
- Preferred Environment: Plant these sun-loving perennials in spots with full sun, and they'll tolerate many types of soil.
2. Sedum
If you didn't prune your sedum before winter, you'll want to get it done in the spring. This versatile, ground-covering plant will completely regrow fresh stalks every year. Once winter is over, cut it back all the way, including blossom heads, leaves, and stalks, to make space for new growth.
- Factoid: Sedum grows well in zones 3 to 9 and thrives in full sun or partial sun, depending on variety.
- Growth: Sedum can grow up to 24 inches tall and 24 inches wide.
- Preferred Environment: Sedum prefers well-drained, nutrient-rich soil.
3. Hydrangea (New Wood Varieties and Panicle Hydrangeas)
When it comes to trimming hydrangeas, Lorraine Ballato, a hydrangea expert, recommends we online gardeners exercise caution. Cut back new wood varieties in spring, but take care with panicle hydrangeas: avoid cutting to the ground, as this can weaken the stems and hinder the development of large, beautiful blooms.
- Factoid: Proper pruning techniques can enhance your hydrangeas' size, shape, and bloom quality.
- Growth: The growth patterns of hydrangeas vary greatly, ranging from 2 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 12 feet wide.
- Preferred Environment: Hydrangeas grow best in partial shade, with a slightly acidic soil pH (5.0–6.5) that can impact flower color.
4. Shasta Daisies
Winter's gone, and these lovely daisies will need a trim to encourage optimal growing conditions. Remove damaged or dead foliage to stimulate fresh, healthy growth.
- Factoid: Shasta daisies flourish in zones 4 to 9 and usually reach a mature size of about 12 inches tall and wide.
- Growth: Shasta daisies require full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil.
5. Joe-Pye Weed
These tall, eye-catching perennials offer valuable vertical appeal and are pollinator magnets. Delay pruning until spring to make room for this year's growth and continue supporting wildlife in your garden.
- Factoid: Joe-Pye Weed can reach a mature size of 6 feet tall and 3 feet wide, and grows well in zones 3 to 9.
- Growth: Plant Joe-Pye weed in partial to full sun with moist, well-drained soil rich in organic matter.
6. Lamb's Ears
Prune back these silvery-fuzzy perennials in the spring to minimize disease and stimulate new growth. You'll notice their delicate touch and long bloom period.
- Factoid: Suitable for zones 4 to 8, Lamb's Ears typically grow up to 8 inches tall and 12 inches wide.
- Growth: Partial shade and well-drained soil are ideal Growing conditions for Lamb's Ears.
7. Asters
To prepare these show-stopping flowers for another brilliant season, cut them back when new growth appears. This practice will help reduce the spread of diseases, and you'll enjoy attractive, compact blooms.
- Factoid: Asters will delight you with their charming blooms in zones 3 to 9.
- Growth: Plant asters in partial shade to full sun and rich, well-drained soil with moisture-retaining qualities.
8. Anise Hyssop
Give back to this hardworking perennial by pruning it in the spring. This will not only refresh its appearance but also help preventamildew.
- Factoid: Anise hyssop grows in zones 3 to 8 and typically reach 24 to 48 inches in height and 12 to 36 inches in width.
- Growth: Good drainage is crucial for growing this member of the mint family. Plant it either in full sun or partial shade with well-drained, even sandy soil.
9. Russian Sage
Russian sage should be left untouched until spring, as its winter foliage provides protection from harsh temperatures. Once the growing season kicks into gear, you can remove the dead vegetation and make room for fresh growth.
- Factoid: Russian sage typically grows about 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide and prefers full sun and well-drained, even dry soil, with slightly alkaline pH levels.
- Preferred Environment: Russian sage thrives best in zones 4 to 9.
10. Coral Bells
With their vibrant foliage and striking upright blooms, coral bells are a thrilling addition to any garden. But take care: their large leaves can harbor mildew, so it's essential to prune them back in the spring to promote healthy, mildew-free growth.
- Factoid: Coral bells can grow from 6 inches to 24 inches tall and 24 inches wide, and are happy in partial shade, with moist, slightly acidic, well-drained soil. Plant them in zones 4 to 9.
- Lorraine Ballato advises that new wood varieties of hydrangea should be trimmed back in spring, but care should be taken with panicle hydrangeas to avoid cutting them to the ground.
- Shasta daisies require a trim in the spring to encourage optimal growing conditions, removing damaged or dead foliage to stimulate fresh, healthy growth.
- Teri Speight suggests delaying the pruning of Joe-Pye weed until spring to make room for this year's growth and continue supporting wildlife in the garden.
- When pruning lamb's ears in the spring, it's essential to minimize disease by pruning back the fuzzy perennials to stimulate new growth.
