Tree lupin: when and how to prune

Tree lupin: when to prune it?

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Cut off faded flower spikes in July. In April cut back frost-damaged tips as soon as the new buds are visible.

What else to prune in those months? April · July

Tree lupin: how to prune it?

1. Cut off the faded spikes with their seed pods, just above a healthy leaf.
2. In spring remove frosted or dead tips back to live wood.
3. Shorten the shrub lightly after flowering, by no more than a third, to keep it compact.
4. Keep the pruning light and stay with your secateurs in green, leafy wood.

How much to cut, and how often?

• There are 2 pruning periods a year: April and July. You don’t have to prune in every one.
• Prune in moderation: never remove more than about a third of the shrub at once.

What does it mean for wildlife?

• Pruning in April and July can fall in the nesting season (15 March–15 August). Check carefully for nesting birds first: disturbing an active nest is against the law.
• Tree lupin flowers in May–July, when it attracts bees.
• If pruning falls during flowering, wait until it is over or leave part of the plant to flower, so bees and butterflies still benefit.
• 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.

Nearby: related pruning guides

• Barberry
• Blackthorn
• Bluebeard
• Butterfly bush
• Californian lilac
• Camellia

Plant profile: Tree lupin · Pruning calendar and basic rules