Gold flower (Hypericum × moserianum): when and how to prune

Gold flower (Hypericum × moserianum): when to prune it?

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In March, before the new shoots really get going.

What else to prune in those months? March

Gold flower (Hypericum × moserianum): how to prune it?

1. Cut all stems back to a hand’s breadth, about 10–15 cm, above the ground.
2. Remove dead and frosted stems completely.
3. It flowers on this year’s new shoots, so hard pruning costs no flowers.
4. For a slightly larger shrub, shorten the stems by half instead of cutting them almost to the ground.

How much to cut, and how often?

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

What does it mean for wildlife?

• Pruning in March can fall in the nesting season (15 March–15 August). Check carefully for nesting birds first: disturbing an active nest is against the law.
• Gold flower (Hypericum × moserianum) flowers in July–September, 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

• Rose of Sharon (Hypericum calycinum)
• Tall tutsan (Hypericum × inodorum)
• Tutsan
• St John’s wort
• Alder buckthorn
• Blackberry

Plant profile: Gold flower (Hypericum × moserianum) · Pruning calendar and basic rules