Photo: Bouba at French Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Pruning guide · Ornamental grass
Giant reed: when and how to prune
Arundo donax
Giant reed is best pruned in March.
| Pruning months | March |
|---|---|
| Native to Belgium | No, planted |
Giant reed: when to prune it?
Cut the old canes right down in March, before the new shoots appear.
What else to prune in those months? March
Giant reed: how to prune it?
- Cut all of last year’s canes just above ground level with loppers.
- In our climate the old canes are usually frosted or untidy after winter; new growth comes from the rhizome.
- If you leave the canes over winter, you have a straw-coloured winter screen; then cut them away in March.
- Let cut canes dry out before composting them, and never throw them into or near water: pieces of cane can root.
How much to cut, and how often?
- One pruning period a year: March.
What does it mean for wildlife?
- If you only cut back in March, the old stems stand through the winter: insects overwinter in them and birds eat the seeds.
Caution: The new shoots appear late, often at the end of April or in May: do not assume too soon that it has died.
Nearby: related pruning guides
Plant profile: Giant reed · Pruning calendar and basic rules
This guide is compiled from the Bladwijzer plant profile and pruning calendar.