Photo: Mike Dickison, CC BY 4.0 · source
Pruning guide · Shrub
New Zealand broadleaf: when and how to prune
Griselinia littoralis
New Zealand broadleaf is best pruned in April and June.
| Pruning months | April and June |
|---|---|
| Nesting season (15 March–15 August) | Take care in April and June |
| Native to Belgium | No, planted |
New Zealand broadleaf: when to prune it?
The main trim is in June. Cut out frost damage in April, once no more hard frost is expected.
New Zealand broadleaf: how to prune it?
- Preferably use secateurs: half-cut leaves turn brown.
- Keep a hedge slightly wider at the bottom than at the top, so that it stays dense right down to the ground.
- Cut frost damage back to healthy wood; a shrub that is frosted back often shoots again from older wood.
- Do not prune after summer: new shoots need to harden off before winter.
How much to cut, and how often?
- There are 2 pruning periods a year: April and June. You don’t have to prune in every one.
- Prune in moderation: never remove more than about a third of the shrub at once.
What does it mean for wildlife?
- Pruning in April and 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.
- 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: soft new shoots would be killed by frost in winter.
Nearby: related pruning guides
Plant profile: New Zealand broadleaf · Pruning calendar and basic rules
This guide is compiled from the Bladwijzer plant profile and pruning calendar.