The Power of Proper Pruning

I received this photo via text from a customer in regard to a plant on her daughter's property.

She asked, "What is this plant? I love it!" 

Viewing the photo, it took me awhile to wrap my head around this one. I had been on the property four or five times and I was still somewhat lost until I had some reference, but, I still didn't know what particular plant it was/is.

I knew where it was, based on its location. I had asked to prune this plant about nine months prior to this photo. And, I did. The owner said she had never seen a single bloom on it. Nor, had I. 

I was not concerned with what type, genus or species it was. I would have loved to have known, but this is not a necessity when you understand plants and what they are trying to do or what they need. It is a gorgeous Snowball Viburnum.

It had been hacked by their lawn service...indiscriminately trimmed back to a certain height with no regard for its condition or future growth.

Pruning can be artistic, but only based on science...plant physiology. This plant was doomed; not to die, but to be something way short, way short of its design...its DNA.

It's only near term future after being hacked down was to produce an exorbitant amount of new growth, very tender, in the form of weak branches and foliage. This effort, energy and resources stole away from producing bloom, which it needed to flourish. It produced no blooms over the last year.

I pruned to reduce all the bad cuts and removed the resulting dead and cross branches. I also pruned for future growth, which is difficult to explain...it's simply plant physiology. I pruned slightly for aesthetics, but mainly for health reasons. Obviously, its future looked better with some well-thought attention.

In other words, taking an aggressive power trimmer or a chain saw to keep a shrub or tree indiscriminately at bay in regard to height, is futile, purposeless.

She is now this wonderful display of these gorgeous bundles of clustered white flowers, similar to those of a mop-head hydrangea.

She will do well and be the gorgeous plant she was meant to be. At least, she will be able to flower, which most plants strive for...to reproduce. I've rehabbed many a plant. And, I will spend time with this one once again to work with her branch structure, to become a more balanced plant with even greater blooms more evenly distributed along her crown...more attractive.

These plants aren't meant to be trimmed or hacked. They need to be properly pruned with a plan, some thought and proper technique.

For many plants, those we choose to have on our properties - they become a part of us. They add grace, some beautiful distraction or intent to our everyday lives, something playful, interesting or perhaps something spatially and spiritually rewarding.

Feel free to read some of my articles regarding pruning and its advantages. Please go to https://shootsandmatters.blogspot.com/search/label/Pruning.

Plants mostly favor our existence (so, they've told me, on occasion) as we do, theirs.