In order to maintain healthy plants, they should be regularly monitored and pruned. Rejuvenation pruning reduces plant size by 30 to 50 percent and exposes latent buds along the lower portion of stems to sunlight so they will grow new shoots and leaves, resulting in a healthier, denser, and more attractive shrub. The amount of reduction will depend on plant species, health and desired height.
When can rejuvenation pruning be done?
Rejuvenation pruning can begin in early Spring and continue throughout the Summer. Mainscape typically completes hard cut backs by the onset of summer so homeowners can enjoy their rejuvenated shrubs after they have flushed out for the better part of the growing season. Mainscape performs selective rejuvenation pruning only on plants that need it. All others are trimmed to maintain shape.
What to expect after rejuvenation pruning
For the shrubs shown above to look their best, it requires an “ugly stage”. Most plants have very few leaves after rejuvenation pruning and have a bare appearance for a few weeks. Dramatically removing this many leaves may be alarming at first, but soon you will see tiny new leaves forming all along the remaining stems.
What else do I need to know?
Removing some flowers during rejuvenation pruning may be unavoidable; however, plants that produce flower buds on new growth will produce even more flowers on all the new growth to come. Examples are Hibiscus, Bougainvillea, Ixora, Ole- ander, Plumbago, Crepe Myrtle, Roses, Allamanda, Thryallis, Duranta, and Firebush. The rejuvenation process can add years to the life of plants that need it. Aging or weak shrubs may not recover from severe pruning; however, that is usually an indicator that they would not have survived long term anyway.
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