Ornamental juniper: when and how to prune

Juniperus

Ornamental juniper is best pruned in May–June and August–September.

Updated on 11 October 2026

Key facts
Pruning months	May–June and August–September
Nesting season (15 March–15 August)	Take care in May–June and August
Good for bees, butterflies and birds	Little
Native to Belgium	No, planted

Ornamental juniper: when to prune it?

In May–June or in late summer.

What else to prune in those months? May · June · August · September

Only cut into the green part; a juniper won’t regrow from old, bare wood.
Remove overlong or awkward branches from inside the shrub, so it keeps a natural shape.
Keep a creeping form in check by cutting the longest branches away underneath the others.

There are 2 pruning periods a year: May–June and August–September. You don’t have to prune in every one.
Most conifers do not regrow from old, bare wood. So never cut back into the brown part (exception: yew).
Prune in moderation: never remove more than about a third of the shrub at once.

Pruning in May–June and August can fall in the nesting season (15 March–15 August). Check carefully for nesting birds first: disturbing an active nest is against the law.
Prunings can go on a dead hedge or brash pile in a corner of the garden: shelter for hedgehogs, wrens and insects.

Clipping without first checking for nesting birds.
Cutting back into bare brown wood: it will not regrow from there.
Leaving a stub or sawing flush with the trunk: cut just outside the branch collar.

Caution: Don’t shear a juniper like a hedge: anything that goes bare won’t fill in again.

This guide is compiled from the Bladwijzer plant profile and pruning calendar.