February Is a Peak Pruning Time, but You Must Target the Right Plants – These 7 Will Give Stunning Displays if Trimmed This Month

February can be a prime time for pruning in many climates. As the worst of the winter weather releases, it is a perfect window to prune before plants commence with spring growth. With that in mind, we look at some plants to prune in February and give trimming tips so you get spectacular displays this season.

Over my years as a horticulturist, I have spent many late winter days out in the garden with pruning tools in hand. It is a great time to trim, tidy, and train. Pruning needs to feature prominently on your list of February gardening jobs, as trees, shrubs, climbers, and perennials want trimming.

But it is important to know what and what not to prune this month, as cutting anything that blooms on old wood simply removes the flowers. Consider the weather, too, as the ideal timing will depend on your US hardiness zone. Those in warmer and milder climates are good to go in February, but delay if the days are frosty, and those in colder areas are best to wait until at least late February to prune.

1. Hydrangeas (Some)

Knowing when to prune hydrangeas can be confusing for many gardeners. It all comes down to the type of wood that they bloom on, so you must know if your hydrangea variety flowers on old wood or new wood.

Those that flower on new wood can be pruned this month, whereas a hydrangea that flowers on old wood should be left alone, as trimming now removes this year’s flowers.

Late winter is the time to prune panicle hydrangeas, such as ‘Limelight’ hydrangeas and ‘Bobo’ hydrangeas, and smooth hydrangeas, including the ever-popular ‘Annabelle’ hydrangea.

Only ever prune hydrangeas with clean and sharp pruning tools, including pruning shears, loppers, and a pruning saw (such as this Felco folding saw at Garden Goods Direct). This ensures clean cuts, which reduces the risk of pests and diseases, and prevents the spread of diseases around the garden.

2. Rose of Sharon

You don’t need to prune a Rose of Sharon yearly, but as this hibiscus variety is a fast-growing shrub, regular trimming, at least every two or three years, keeps it controlled and healthy. If you plant a Rose of Sharon and don’t prune, you’ll risk a spreading shrub that flops under the weight of its own flowers – not the most attractive look.

Prune a Rose of Sharon during dormancy, just before new growth starts. As the shrub flowers on new wood, pruning directs energy into creating new shoots to carry flowers. It is better to trim earlier than later, as leaving it too late is a pruning mistake that risks cutting off developing buds.

Remove any dead, diseased, or damaged branches, and weak, crossing, or undesirable stems. You can then shape the shrub and trim the tips of some branches to encourage bushy growth.

A word of warning, Rose of Sharon is classed as an invasive plant in some US states. As it is notorious for self-seeding, regular deadheading throughout the blooming season will prevent the shrub from spreading.

3. Crepe Myrtle

Crepe myrtle is a flowering shrub that needs pruning each year if you want a great display of blooms every season. If you grow a crepe myrtle and don’t prune, the risk is of a dense, overgrown shrub. So plan to prune a crepe myrtle every late winter, with the window opening in February in most climates.

It is another shrub that flowers on new wood, so it needs pruning before it starts growing. If you have wondered why your crepe myrtle isn’t blooming, it can commonly be due to gardeners pruning too late and removing the developing buds.

As for how to prune crepe myrtle, start by removing dead, damaged, and diseased stems. It is also advisable to cut out any weak stems thinner than a pencil and any branches growing inward. You can selectively remove a few larger branches to thin the crown and lower the canopy, which is better than topping the shrub to one height.

4. Trumpet Vine

Trumpet vines (also called Campsis) are among the fastest-growing climbing plants, making them a necessary choice for pruning in February if you have one.

Regular pruning is essential to keep these vines in check, as they can cause damage to structures if allowed to grow uncontrolled. There is no need to panic, though. Pruning a trumpet vine keeps it in check and rewards you with lots of its warm, long-lasting flowers.

Prune in late winter to remove any dead, damaged, or diseased stems, and cut back lateral shoots off the main stems to 2-3 buds. However, when required, you can be more aggressive with trumpet vine pruning. This can even involve cutting all the growth back to 12 inches to rejuvenate the climber.

When working with trumpet vines, it is advisable to wear gardening gloves and long sleeves (you can get gardening sleeves at Amazon for protection) as the stems can bleed sap, which can cause skin irritation to some gardeners.

5. Wisteria

Wisteria is another vigorous flowering climber that demands attention. Indeed, when you grow wisteria, it needs pruning twice a year, once in winter and once in summer. This double-pronged approach keeps it looking fabulous and under control.

The good news is that pruning wisteria in winter is surprisingly simple. It is a good time to thin the plant, shape the climber (which is easier to do when the leaves have dropped), and train and tie in wisteria shoots for the growing season ahead.

Cut out any dead, damaged, or diseased stems, weak growth, and crossing branches. Then, simply cut back last summer’s growth, which should be long and whippy, to two or three buds from the main framework of branches. Cut back to a healthy bud to encourage a great display of spring flowers.

6. Black-eyed Susan

Black-eyed Susans bring glorious warm shades to flower beds in the summer and fall, with the backswept petals standing out against the dark center, which gives them their moniker.

While black-eyed Susans have a long blooming season, lasting up until the first frosts, you don’t want to rush out too quickly to chop them down. They rank alongside coneflowers and globe thistle as perennials not to cut back in fall, as they provide valuable food for birds in winter and shelter in a beneficial wildlife garden.

It is better to cut back black-eyed Susans in late winter. This timing is also relevant for cutting back coneflowers, too, along with any other perennials and native plants that can feed birds in winter. Foodscaping for winter wildlife is vital for supporting birds, insects, and small mammals, and leaving seedheads is a simple way to do this.

To cut back black-eyed Susans in February, simply head out with a pair of clean and sharp pruning shears or hedge shears and cut the stems back to 4-6 inches above the ground.

7. Russian Sage

Russian sage is another of those great plants for pollinators that you don’t want to be too quick to cut back once they finish flowering. While it can be done in the fall, it is preferable to leave the seed heads in place for local wildlife to enjoy. A bonus is that the untrimmed stems will provide structure in flower beds, and they look beautiful when tinged with a winter frost.

It is, however, important to cut back Russian sage each late winter. A trimmed plant will have strong, upright stems covered in lovely blue-purple flowers in summer, whereas one left to its own devices can flop over, which can be an eyesore in the garden. A well-maintained Russian sage is bushy, open, and has lots of new growth, rather than being congested and full of woody stems. Good air circulation and light penetration help keep the plant healthy.

To prune Russian sage, cut the stems back to the lowest set of leaves or around 12-14 inches from the ground. Always cut to a healthy bud to promote the growth of lots of flowers to enjoy.

If you grow ornamental grasses in your garden, these are also ideal plants to prune in February. Late winter is the perfect time to cut back ornamental grasses, and it is simple to do.

The only thing to remember is that deciduous and evergreen grasses require different techniques. To help you prune correctly, this guide to ornamental grasses to cut back in February contains both types, along with tips for how to prune them properly.

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