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Pruning Cistus (mediterranean rock rose)

GraysGrays Posts: 172
in Plants
Hi again,
Could anyone give advice on when and how to prune these rock rose shrubs?
I can remember reading a while back that they only tolerate a very light prune, so that is what I have been doing each year, but as you can see from the photo, one is getting very large and is taking up space from the patio, but how can I prune this back without damaging the plant?
Also, when would you think is the best time to cut it back? it is just about to come into flower now, and is covered with lovely pink flowers when it does.

cheers all.

Posts

  • SlumSlum Posts: 385
    Prune after flowering or you won’t see any flowers this year. I ignore the advice and prune mine fairly heavily each year and it has done them no harm. If you need yours to be smaller, prune it hard after flowering and use some of the pruned bits for cuttings. Then if you do kill it you will have replacements. 
  • GraysGrays Posts: 172
    Slum said:
    Prune after flowering or you won’t see any flowers this year. I ignore the advice and prune mine fairly heavily each year and it has done them no harm. If you need yours to be smaller, prune it hard after flowering and use some of the pruned bits for cuttings. Then if you do kill it you will have replacements. 
    Thanks for the advice.

    Cuttings sounds a bit technical for a complete novice like me, could you explain how I would go about this, the process etc?

    Thanks again.
  • SlumSlum Posts: 385
    Have a have a look here https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=307 or if you prefer to watch https://youtu.be/wD5PC9cmbhI . Don’t worry if you haven’t got everything they say you need, use what you’ve got and give it a go. It is very satisfying to watch a cutting grow into a plant. 
  • GraysGrays Posts: 172
    Thanks for the advice.

    I was a bit nervous to prune it back, but as soon as it has finished flowering it will get a good cut.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    They work very well cut into a sort of dome shape ... that way they flower over the surface of the dome and look like a flowering cushion 😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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