Orange-ball tree (Buddleja globosa): when and how to prune

Orange-ball tree (Buddleja globosa): when to prune it?

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Straight after flowering, in July. It flowers on the previous year’s wood: whatever you cut off in spring means fewer flowers.

What else to prune in those months? July

Orange-ball tree (Buddleja globosa): how to prune it?

1. Cut the faded shoots back to just above a few young new shoots.
2. Each year remove one or two of the oldest, bare branches at the base to keep the shrub young.
3. Cut out dead or frosted twigs as soon as you can see in spring where it is shooting.
4. An overgrown, neglected shrub is best renovated gradually over two or three years.

How much to cut, and how often?

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

What does it mean for wildlife?

• Pruning in 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.
• Orange-ball tree (Buddleja globosa) flowers in June–July, when it attracts bees and butterflies.
• 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

• Butterfly bush
• Fountain butterfly bush (Buddleja alternifolia)
• Barberry
• Blackthorn
• Californian lilac
• Deutzia

Plant profile: Orange-ball tree (Buddleja globosa) · Pruning calendar and basic rules