Photo: Xemenendura, CC BY 3.0 · source
Pruning guide · Shrub
Tamarisk: when and how to prune
Tamarix
Tamarisk is best pruned in March and June.
| Pruning months | March and June |
|---|---|
| Nesting season (15 March–15 August) | Take care in March and June |
| Flowering | May–August |
| Native to Belgium | No, planted |
Tamarisk: when to prune it?
Summer-flowering species (such as Tamarix ramosissima) in March; spring-flowering species (such as T. tetrandra) straight after flowering, in June.
Tamarisk: how to prune it?
- Summer-flowering species flower on new wood: in March, cut last year’s shoots back hard, close to the older wood.
- On spring-flowering species, cut the flowered shoots back hard to a young shoot after flowering.
- An old, bare shrub can be cut back hard; it will regrow.
How much to cut, and how often?
- There are 2 pruning periods a year: March and June. You don’t have to prune in every one.
- Prune in moderation: never remove more than about a third of the shrub at once.
What does it mean for wildlife?
- Pruning in March and 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.
- 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: Not sure which tamarisk you have? Look at when it flowers: flowers in May mean pruning in June, flowers in summer mean pruning in March.
Nearby: related pruning guides
Similar to: Difference from heather
This guide is compiled from the Bladwijzer plant profile and pruning calendar.