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Pruning guide · Shrub
Narrow-leaved mock privet: when and how to prune
Phillyrea angustifolia
Narrow-leaved mock privet is best pruned in June.
| Pruning months | June |
|---|---|
| Nesting season (15 March–15 August) | Take care in June |
| Flowering | April–May |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | Yes, for bees |
| Native to Belgium | No, planted |
Narrow-leaved mock privet: when to prune it?
Clip it once a year, in June, after flowering.
What else to prune in those months? June
Narrow-leaved mock privet: how to prune it?
- Trim the new shoots with secateurs or hedge shears, back by about a third.
- Follow the shape you want: ball, cone or low hedge. Give a hedge a slight taper, wider at the base.
- Remove dead or crossing branches from the inside of the shrub.
How much to cut, and how often?
- One pruning period a year: June.
- Prune in moderation: never remove more than about a third of the shrub at once.
What does it mean for wildlife?
- Pruning in 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.
- Narrow-leaved mock privet flowers in April–May, 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: Do not prune in late autumn or winter: new shoots and pruning wounds are then easily killed by frost.
Nearby: related pruning guides
Plant profile: Narrow-leaved mock privet · Pruning calendar and basic rules
This guide is compiled from the Bladwijzer plant profile and pruning calendar.