Photo: Hugues TINGUY, CC BY-SA 2.0 fr · source
.jpg){kind=link}
Pruning guide · Shrub
Small-flowered sweet-briar: when and how to prune
Rosa micrantha
Small-flowered sweet-briar is best pruned in February–March.
| Pruning months | February–March |
|---|---|
| Nesting season (15 March–15 August) | Take care in March |
| Flowering | June–July |
| Native to Belgium | Yes |
Small-flowered sweet-briar: when to prune it?
Little needed. Thin out in February–March, once the birds have eaten most of the hips.
Small-flowered sweet-briar: how to prune it?
- Every three to four years, remove a few of the oldest, greyish branches at the base.
- Cut out dead and broken branches.
- Shorten over-long branches to just above a bud, but do not shear the shrub.
- Wear sturdy gloves and long sleeves: the hooked prickles are vicious.
How much to cut, and how often?
- One pruning period a year: February–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.
- As a native plant, it feeds more insects than a non-native species.
- 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: If you cut everything back hard every year, you will get no flowers and no hips: wild roses flower on last year’s and older wood.
Nearby: related pruning guides
Plant profile: Small-flowered sweet-briar · Pruning calendar and basic rules
This guide is compiled from the Bladwijzer plant profile and pruning calendar.