Chinese witch hazel (Hamamelis mollis): when and how to prune

Chinese witch hazel (Hamamelis mollis): when to prune it?

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Hardly ever needed. If necessary, straight after flowering, in March–April.

What else to prune in those months? March · April

Chinese witch hazel (Hamamelis mollis): how to prune it?

1. Only remove dead, damaged or crossing branches, cutting back to a side branch.
2. Remove suckers from the rootstock, as low down as possible.
3. Never prune hard: it regrows poorly from old wood and then flowers less for years.

How much to cut, and how often?

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

What does it mean for wildlife?

• Pruning in March–April can fall in the nesting season (15 March–15 August). Check carefully for nesting birds first: disturbing an active nest is against the law.
• Chinese witch hazel (Hamamelis mollis) flowers in January–March, 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

• Witch hazel
• Japanese witch hazel (Hamamelis japonica)
• Ozark witch hazel (Hamamelis vernalis)
• Alder buckthorn
• Blackberry
• Bluebeard

Plant profile: Chinese witch hazel (Hamamelis mollis) · Pruning calendar and basic rules