Pruning Forsythia: When and How to Do It (With Photos)

The forsythia (Chinese bell) blooms exuberantly early in the year with its bright yellow flowers. At least, if you prune it regularly. If you don't, it will get fewer and fewer flowers and you will get a tangle of woody branches. Pruning the forsythia is therefore a rewarding job.

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Unlike many other shrubs and bushes, you do not prune forsythia in the winter. If you do, you will have no flowers the following year. The best time to prune is in May, when the last flowers have faded.

Forsythia flowers on two-year-old wood, so always cut out the oldest flowering branches before June. New branches then have until autumn to grow.

You don't have to worry about pruning the forsythia wrong, because it is quite forgiving. This is the easiest way:

First, prune the thickest, oldest, woody trunks back to the base with pruning shears or a pruning saw.

Then prune the thin twigs back to a strong trunk or sturdy branch with pruning shears.

Prune back the remaining long branches by no more than one third to a strong bud or shoot to encourage lateral branching.

Finally, assess the overall shape of the forsythia and prune away any trunks or branches that disrupt the balance.

Because forsythia is fairly forgiving, you can prune neglected shrubs back severely. You can use the same steps as described above. Make sure you do this before June and after flowering.

The main flowering period of Chinese bellflower is March and April, but can sometimes also flower in February. In May the plant has finished flowering and it is therefore the right time to prune the shrub.

Tip!

Many spring flowering shrubs can be pruned in exactly the same way, by simply cutting away the oldest flowering branches as soon as the last flowers have faded. This can be done until the end of May