Photo: Agnieszka Kwiecień (Nova), CC BY 3.0 · source
Pruning guide · Shrub
Tutsan: when and how to prune
Hypericum androsaemum
Tutsan is best pruned in March.
| Pruning months | March |
|---|---|
| Nesting season (15 March–15 August) | Take care in March |
| Flowering | June–August |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | Yes, for bees and birds |
| Native to Belgium | No, planted |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Yes, take care with children and pets |
Tutsan: when to prune it?
Prune in March, before the new shoots appear. Tutsan flowers on new wood, so a firm prune costs no flowers.
What else to prune in those months? March
Tutsan: how to prune it?
- Cut the shrub back by about half; a bare or untidy plant can go down to 15–20 cm above the ground.
- Remove dead, weak and frost-damaged stems at the base.
- If there has been rust, take all the cut leaves and stems out of the garden.
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.
- Tutsan flowers in June–August, 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.
Caution: If you do not want seedlings all over the garden, cut off some of the berries after summer, before they turn black and ripen. Tutsan is poisonous: wear gloves and keep clippings away from children, pets and livestock.
Nearby: related pruning guides
This guide is compiled from the Bladwijzer plant profile and pruning calendar.