Warminster broom (Cytisus × praecox): when and how to prune

Warminster broom (Cytisus × praecox): when to prune it?

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Straight after flowering, in late May or June. Start when the plant is young and prune every year, or it soon becomes bare.

What else to prune in those months? May · June

Warminster broom (Cytisus × praecox): how to prune it?

1. Cut back the shoots that have flowered by up to two-thirds, just above a young side shoot.
2. Always stay in the green, young wood: never cut into the old, brown branches.
3. Remove dead and broken shoots.
4. An old, bare broom cannot be rejuvenated by hard pruning: replace it with a young plant.

How much to cut, and how often?

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

What does it mean for wildlife?

• Pruning in May–June can fall in the nesting season (15 March–15 August). Check carefully for nesting birds first: disturbing an active nest is against the law.
• Warminster broom (Cytisus × praecox) flowers in April–May, 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

• Broom
• Barberry
• Blackthorn
• Box (buxus)
• Californian lilac
• Camellia

Plant profile: Warminster broom (Cytisus × praecox) · Pruning calendar and basic rules