Photo: Velela, CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Pruning guide · Shrub
Spurge-laurel (Daphne laureola): when and how to prune
Daphne laureola
Spurge-laurel (Daphne laureola) is best pruned in May.
| Pruning months | May |
|---|---|
| Nesting season (15 March–15 August) | Take care in May |
| Flowering | February–April |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | Yes, for bees |
| Native to Belgium | No, planted |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Yes, take care with children and pets |
Spurge-laurel (Daphne laureola): when to prune it?
Pruning is rarely needed. If you must, do it just after flowering, in May.
What else to prune in those months? May
Spurge-laurel (Daphne laureola): how to prune it?
- Remove only dead, damaged or awkward shoots, just above a ruff of leaves.
- Shorten a few shoots at most: it does not respond well to hard pruning.
- Wear gloves and keep the prunings away from grazing animals.
How much to cut, and how often?
- One pruning period a year: May.
- Prune in moderation: never remove more than about a third of the shrub at once.
What does it mean for wildlife?
- Pruning in May can fall in the nesting season (15 March–15 August). Check carefully for nesting birds first: disturbing an active nest is against the law.
- Spurge-laurel (Daphne laureola) flowers in February–April, 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: Do not prune in autumn or winter: you would cut off the flower buds. Spurge-laurel (Daphne laureola) is poisonous: wear gloves and keep clippings away from children, pets and livestock.
Nearby: related pruning guides
Plant profile: Spurge-laurel (Daphne laureola) · Pruning calendar and basic rules
This guide is compiled from the Bladwijzer plant profile and pruning calendar.