Bird cherry: when and how to prune

Prunus padus

Bird cherry is best pruned in June–August.

Updated on 11 October 2026

Key facts
Pruning months	June–August
Nesting season (15 March–15 August)	Take care in June–August
Flowering	April–May
Good for bees, butterflies and birds	Yes, for bees, butterflies and birds
Native to Belgium	Yes

Bird cherry: when to prune it?

In summer, in dry weather.

Prune cherries and their relatives in summer, in dry weather. Wounds made in autumn and winter risk silver leaf and bacterial canker.

What else to prune in those months? June · July · August

Needs little pruning: only remove dead, diseased or awkward branches, just outside the branch collar.
The webs of ermine moths are harmless: there is no need to prune for them, the tree comes back into leaf on its own.

One pruning period a year: June–August.
Never remove more than about a quarter of the crown at once. Better a little every year.

Pruning in June–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.
Bird cherry flowers in April–May, when it attracts bees.
Host plant: caterpillars of butterflies or moths eat the leaves.
As a native plant, it feeds more insects than a non-native species.
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.
Pruning in autumn or winter: the wounds then let in silver leaf and gummosis.
Leaving a stub or sawing flush with the trunk: cut just outside the branch collar.

Caution: Don’t prune in autumn or winter: as with other cherries, saw cuts then invite silver leaf.

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