Photo: Jean-Pol GRANDMONT, CC BY 2.5 · source
Pruning guide · Broadleaf tree
Foxglove tree: when and how to prune
Paulownia tomentosa
Foxglove tree is best pruned in February–March.
| Pruning months | February–March |
|---|---|
| Nesting season (15 March–15 August) | Take care in March |
| Flowering | April–May |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | Yes, for bees |
| Native to Belgium | No, planted |
Foxglove tree: when to prune it?
End of winter, before growth starts.
Foxglove tree: how to prune it?
- As a tree: formative pruning only. Remove dead, crossing and badly placed branches and keep a single trunk.
- For giant leaves, coppice it every spring to 30–50 cm above the ground. Of the new shoots, keep only the strongest.
- A coppiced foxglove tree won’t flower, as the flowers form on the previous year’s wood; so it won’t set seed either.
How much to cut, and how often?
- One pruning period a year: February–March.
- Can be cut back to just above the ground every few years and will then regrow.
- Never remove more than about a quarter of the crown at once. Better a little every year.
What does it mean for wildlife?
- Pruning in March can fall in the nesting season (15 March–15 August). Check carefully for nesting birds first: disturbing an active nest is against the law.
- Foxglove tree flowers in April–May, when it attracts bees.
- Prunings can go on a dead hedge or brash pile in a corner of the garden: shelter for hedgehogs, wrens and insects.
Common mistakes
- Clipping without first checking for nesting birds.
- Leaving a stub or sawing flush with the trunk: cut just outside the branch collar.
Caution: On a flowering tree, don’t cut back the branch tips: that is where the flower buds sit, ready from autumn onwards.
Nearby: related pruning guides
Similar to: Difference from Indian bean tree
Plant profile: Foxglove tree · Pruning calendar and basic rules
This guide is compiled from the Bladwijzer plant profile and pruning calendar.