Rosemary grevillea: when and how to prune

Rosemary grevillea: when to prune it?

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Straight after flowering, in June. It needs little pruning.

What else to prune in those months? June

Rosemary grevillea: how to prune it?

1. Lightly shorten faded branches, by about a third, to keep the shrub dense.
2. Remove dead or frost-damaged branches back to healthy wood.
3. Cut only into leafy wood; do not cut into bare, old wood.

How much to cut, and how often?

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

What does it mean for wildlife?

• Pruning in 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.
• Rosemary grevillea flowers in March–June, 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
• Box (buxus)
• Californian lilac
• Cherry laurel
• Deutzia

Plant profile: Rosemary grevillea · Pruning calendar and basic rules