Snowy mespilus (Amelanchier ovalis): when and how to prune

Snowy mespilus (Amelanchier ovalis): when to prune it?

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No pruning is needed. If something has to go, do it in February, while the shrub is dormant.

What else to prune in those months? February

Snowy mespilus (Amelanchier ovalis): how to prune it?

1. Cut out dead, diseased and damaged branches back to healthy wood.
2. Remove branches that cross or grow inwards, to keep the shrub open.
3. Rejuvenate an older, bare shrub by removing one or two of the oldest stems at ground level every few years.
4. Never shorten all the branches: the natural shape is lost and so are flowers and berries.

How much to cut, and how often?

• One pruning period a year: February.
• Prune in moderation: never remove more than about a third of the shrub at once.

What does it mean for wildlife?

• The pruning months fall outside the nesting season (15 March–15 August), so you won’t disturb nesting birds.
• Snowy mespilus (Amelanchier ovalis) flowers in April–May, when it attracts bees.
• In June–July birds eat the fruit: leave some on the plant or on the ground.
• Prunings can go on a dead hedge or brash pile in a corner of the garden: shelter for hedgehogs, wrens and insects.

Common mistakes

• Leaving a stub or sawing flush with the trunk: cut just outside the branch collar.

Nearby: related pruning guides

• Juneberry
• Canadian serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis)
• Saskatoon
• Alder buckthorn
• Blackberry
• Blackcurrant

Plant profile: Snowy mespilus (Amelanchier ovalis) · Pruning calendar and basic rules