Thorny olive (Elaeagnus pungens): when and how to prune

Thorny olive (Elaeagnus pungens): when to prune it?

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Shape the shrub or hedge in April–May. Remove green shoots on variegated forms as soon as you see them.

What else to prune in those months? April · May

Thorny olive (Elaeagnus pungens): how to prune it?

1. Shorten overlong branches to just above a leaf or side shoot; this keeps the shrub dense.
2. Trim a hedge with shears, slightly narrower at the top than at the bottom.
3. Cut all-green shoots on variegated forms back to their base.
4. It tolerates hard pruning and reshoots from old wood.

How much to cut, and how often?

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

What does it mean for wildlife?

• Pruning in April–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.
• Thorny olive (Elaeagnus pungens) flowers in October–November, 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.

Nearby: related pruning guides

• Ebbinge’s silverberry (Elaeagnus × ebbingei)
• Oleaster
• Bluebeard
• Box (buxus)
• Butterfly bush
• Californian lilac

Plant profile: Thorny olive (Elaeagnus pungens) · Pruning calendar and basic rules