How to prune Daphne

How to prune Daphne

Daphne has strong germination ability and is more resistant to pruning. Usually, you can cut off the densely growing branches before they sprout, leaving some gaps to facilitate ventilation and light. After the flowers have faded, remove the remaining flowers and also cut off the overgrown branches, overlapping branches, overly dense branches, crossed branches and other branches that affect the beauty of the tree shape to maintain a beautiful tree shape.

Pruning of seedlings

By taking measures such as pinching, removing buds, thinning branches, tying up, and pulling branches, you can encourage the plants to sprout early, grow more branches, and bloom more. For the cuttings of the same year, pinch off the top when the first branches and leaves grow to 5-8 cm, and select 2-3 branches for cultivation; when the second branches and leaves grow to about 8 cm, you can pinch off the top for the second time, retain 2-3 strong buds on each branch, wipe out the excessive weak buds, and cultivate 6-9 secondary branches. Daphne odora can be pinched 3-4 times when it branches and leaves grow. By repeatedly pinching and removing buds, more sturdy branches can be cultivated and the crown can be expanded. It usually takes 1-2 years to take shape.

Summer pruning

Daphne odora is resistant to pruning and has strong apical dominance, so it is appropriate to adopt the topping method to promote sprouting when pruning. Generally, in June and July, some of the new shoots grown that year are cut off in batches, or 1/2 of the new shoots are cut off to encourage the side buds under the cut to sprout new branches. The uncut spring shoots have stopped growing long ago, and can start flower bud differentiation and bud formation in autumn. However, the new shoots that sprout after summer pruning have not stopped growing yet, so their flower bud differentiation will be slightly later, thus extending the flowering period of Daphne koreana.