Prune a snowball viburnum bush by sterilizing the equipment, cutting off flowers and cutting back the older branches before the fall. Through routine maintenance, you can reduce the amount of pruning you need to do in the fall. This routine trimming should be done year-round to keep your snowball bush healthy and thriving. Although you should only do major pruning in the spring, check your bush throughout the year. The best time to do this is around May, after the flowers bloom, although it can be done anytime as needed. Heavy pruning should only be done at this time since you can easily destroy next year’s flowers by removing old wood. t is essential not to cut this before the arrival of spring blossoms. Do the internal branches need thinning? Snowball hydrangeas spread underground through short runners, so that old shrubs can take up quite a lot of space over the years. Last Updated: July 10, 2019 Remove up to one-third of the shrub's interior and perimeter branching but no more in order to reduce stress on the plant. For 17 years, she worked for a Fortune 500 company before purchasing a business and starting a family. Decide why you want to prune, as not all plants need pruning annually. Their colorful spring and summer evolution begins with green blooms before turning bright white and fading to pink as they wither. After flowering in May, the two snowball varieties Viburnum x carlcephalum and Viburnum carlesi can be given a rejuvenation pruning. Chinese snowball (Viburnum macrocephalum) is a deciduous shrub that reaches a height up to 20 feet. It is best to prune the panicle hydrangea or Annabelle hydrangea after they have bloomed in the summer. If you prune every year or two, you can remove about 1/3 of the plant each time to keep it under control. However, pruning can keep the perennial from growing too quickly and help it maintain optimal health and shape. Wait until after the flowers fade. Sanitize the pruning shears. Cut the branch back to healthy wood and carefully pull the unwanted branch out of the shrub. Approved. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. In the fall, the snowball bush's foliage turns yellow and red, bringing rich autumn color into the garden. This is a snowball bush, it is 8 t0 10 feet tall with white blooms in early Spring. It keeps them safe from disease during the summer season. This must be done methodically. For more tips from our Gardening co-author, including how to prune your Hydrangea snowball bush, read on! wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. Expect viburnum snowball bushes to blossom in May. Prune the snowball bush in early summer to encourage fresh, new growth. Prune only after the bush has finished blooming. By using our site, you agree to our. Snowball viburnum is a beautiful shrub, much liked in our gardens for its beautiful blooming. Do I need to cut them back? Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 85,706 times. Lauren Kurtz is a Naturalist and Horticultural Specialist. Hydrangea blossoms stay on the plant for about 2 months, longer than viburnum blooms. One doesn’t need to be an expert at pruning, when it comes to this bush. Viburnum plicatum ‘Mary Milton’ is a very beautiful shrub, and its blooming in spring is as wonderful as its foliage in fall. Spring or summer pruning increases chances for infection and spread of the bacterial disease fireblight. Depending on which variety you have, make slight adjustments to your pruning routine in order to help your plant thrive. You can cut snowball hydrangeas to the ground every year. 2. Prune Japanese snowball in early to mid-summer, after the bush finishes blooming. Viburnums are great plants that should be remembered because they're useful and often fragrant. She earned a BA in Environmental and Sustainability Studies from Western Michigan University in 2014. While there are over 150 varieties of viburnum, one of the most popular is known as the "snowball bush." It is important to leave the bottom of the shrub wider than the top of the shrub after you prune it or the bottom of the shrub will not get adequate light. In this case, 93% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. Any serious pruning is done just after flowering, so the plant can set buds for the following year. The three-inch clusters of snowball flowers start out apple-green and morph to white, eventually fading to a rosy color, as do some hydrangea shrubs.. You can cut the flowers to use in displays. Lauren has worked for Aurora, Colorado managing the Water-Wise Garden at Aurora Municipal Center for the Water Conservation Department. Pruning blueberry bushes can be a very rewarding thing indeed. How to Prune Snowball Bushes. If you like hydrangeas, you are going to love this flowering shrub.The Chinese snowball viburnum (Viburnum macrocephalum) is a large shrub in the Viburnum genus.In April and May, it is adorned with hydrangea-like blooms that can reach up to 6 … A hardy shrub that does well in the UK, the snowball is easy to plant and care for, and requires very little maintenance. Best offers for your Garden - https://amzn.to/2InnD0w ----- Difference Between Snowball Bush & Hydrangea. Many bushes were just ready to bud when the freeze hit this spring and the buds were caught. This article was co-authored by Lauren Kurtz. This article has been viewed 85,706 times. Although the snowball flowers bloom on old wood in viburnum plants, the oldest shoots produce weak flowers and are safe to remove. You are absolutely right that this has been a volatile weather year for woody plants. Hopefully these few tips were helpful to y'all! Lori Lapierre holds a Bachelor of Arts and Science in public relations/communications. While there are over 150 varieties of viburnum, one of the most popular is known as the "snowball bush." Leave behind the thinner, fresher shoots coming up from the plant’s base. Use a clean, sharp pair of shears to cut the oldest, thickest shoots as near to the ground as you can to get rid of them. Prune the shrub at a slight angle so that there is a gradual thickening towards the base. How to Prune Snowball Bushes. Viburnums also take some pruning, but most often they don't need much attention. You want to do it anytime after the first freeze through the end of winter. While there are over 150 varieties of viburnum, one of the most popular is known as the "snowball bush." Learn about pruning bushes and shrubs, including when to prune and how to properly shape hedges. Copyright 2020 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. Viburnum snowball bush is popular and easy to grow. Prune viburnums after flowering only if pruning is necessary for shaping. Deadheading, or cutting off the flowers, won’t harm viburnum. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Autumn or early winter pruning is more likely to result in drying and die-back at pruning sites. Viburnum bushes bloom in the spring, while hydrangea bushes bloom in the fall. This article has been viewed 85,706 times. After 4 to 5 years you may remove 1/3 of the oldest stems, and thereafter prune every 2 or 3 years. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. http://homeguides.sfgate.com/difference-between-snowball-bush-hydrangea-52472.html, https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-prune-viburnums/, https://www.southernliving.com/home-garden/gardens/flowering-shrub-chinese-snowball-viburnum, https://ask.extension.org/questions/320239, https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=168, https://www.bhg.com/gardening/trees-shrubs-vines/shrubs/what-is-the-best-way-to-care-for-a-snowball-hydrangea-that-survived-winter-but-did-not-flower-in-the-summer/, http://ucanr.edu/datastoreFiles/268-86.pdf, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. This allows sunlight and proper ventilation to reach the remaining branches. It saves me so much time. Some bushes/branches were able to develop another set of buds, others not. As part of a flowered hedge, as a standalone or in shrub beds, its growing and maintenance is easy. "In general, spring flowering plants bloom from buds formed the previous season. With rejuvenation pruning, the old bush is replaced completely over a period of three to five years. Cut any branches back that show accelerated growth by sticking out above other limbs. Remember to only perform hard trimming in spring, after the bloom, to avoid damaging the bush’s buds the next year. The first thing to know about snowball bushes is that there are several different types. Ready to bud when the freeze hit this spring and summer evolution with. For 17 years, she worked for Aurora, Colorado managing the Water-Wise garden at Aurora Municipal Center the! Always has fresh growth thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been sheared because of shrub! Should determine in advance which branches are to be pruning snowball bushes youtube in which year puffy, white,! 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