January: Pruning

A Practical Guide to Pruning by Peter McHoy is a good reference on pruning the few California natives that it includes within its two hundred plus pages: Ceanothus, Arctostaphylos, Carpenteria and a few others for a total of 10-12 different genera. McHoy has also produced a smaller, more condensed volume but it, strangely, does not cover the group of natives. This reference is a very good source for general pruning procedures which can also be applied to our local flora. Terms such as deadheading, cutting back and clipping are well described and illustrated.

As the book points out, a vigorous and healthy landscape can be maintained year round by judicious pruning with better results than the usual advice of just watering and fertilizing. Some basics to pass along are, to be careful in all of your pruning, and limit most shrub reduction or thinning to a maximum of 1/3 removal. Of course, that rule immediately fails when considering Romneya coulteri. It should be cut back to the ground now as it will vigorously resprout from the rootstock this spring.

Always take into consideration the bloom habit of the genus you are pruning. In the case of most Ceanothus species, the flowers emerge from buds at the tips of the new growth. So if the removal of 1/3 amounts to all of the new tip growth, then there will be no blossoms this spring. But, in fact, Ceanothus blooming can be extended. Cutting off the recently bloomed stems immediately after blooming forces new growth which will also bloom, but with somewhat less vigor.

To quote directly from McHoy's text on a genus which is rarely, if ever, discussed in any pruning manual, let us look at Fremontodendron californicum. "To increase flowering and control the size once the plant is well established, cut two-thirds off each new shoot (Technique 4) in early spring. Tie new shoots to fill any gaps. This is also the time to remove any winter-damaged shoots." (He is considering a specimen trained against a wall.)