Pruning Kolkwitzia amabilis - How and when to prune kolkwitzia - Beauty Bush

Kolkwitzia amabilis and other Kolkwitzias are not commonly known as Beauty Bush for nothing.

With proper pruning, this shrub has masses of arching stems of bell-like pink flowers in late spring or early summer.

You will need to be decisive when you prune this shrub, in order to get the best out of it. We show you how to prune Kolkwitzias.

The Beauty Bush flowers as a result of good pruning

Kolkwitzia amabilis - The Beauty Bush

When and How to prune Kolkwitzia.

The Kolkwitzias flower on stems which were produced in the pervious summer, so the timing of pruning is crucial to ensure masses of flowers on arching stems.

Prune right after flowering has stopped - early summer - and prune the flowered growth back by at least a third of their length - even further with an established plant. Together with pruning the old flowered growths, it is important to cut out around one third of the older stems - right back to ground level. This hard pruning, will force the shrub to send out masses of new basal growth, which will ensure a good supply of flowering branches for years to come. Do this pruning every year - right after the shrub has flowered.

Prune it too late, and it will not have time to develop flowering stems for the next year.

It is also important not to prune in the early spring - before flowering. If you prune at this time, you will be pruning off all of the flower buds - so no flowers for a year.

Back to A-Z of Pruning Shrubs