Burkwood viburnum (Viburnum × burkwoodii): when and how to prune

Burkwood viburnum (Viburnum × burkwoodii): when to prune it?

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Straight after flowering, from late May into June, and only when needed. It flowers on last year’s shoots.

What else to prune in those months? May · June

Burkwood viburnum (Viburnum × burkwoodii): how to prune it?

1. Cut overlong or straggly shoots back to just above a side branch.
2. Remove dead, diseased and crossing branches.
3. Every few years, removing one or two of the oldest stems at the base keeps the shrub young.

How much to cut, and how often?

• One pruning period a year: May–June.
• Prune in moderation: never remove more than about a third of the shrub at once.

What does it mean for wildlife?

• Pruning in May–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.
• Burkwood viburnum (Viburnum × burkwoodii) flowers in April–May, when it attracts bees.
• If pruning falls during flowering, wait until it is over or leave part of the plant to flower, so bees and butterflies still benefit.
• 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.

Nearby: related pruning guides

• Guelder rose
• Japanese snowball
• Wayfaring tree
• Arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum)
• Fragrant snowball (Viburnum × carlcephalum)
• Judd viburnum (Viburnum × juddii)

Plant profile: Burkwood viburnum (Viburnum × burkwoodii) · Pruning calendar and basic rules