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Dipelta floribunda
stuart_gilbert
Posts: 2
in Plants
Hello,
I’m new to the forum and my gardening experience is near zero despite being in my 70’s. (I blame my father who loved ponds, rockeries and conifers but not much else!) I’ve been seeking information on Dipelta Floribunda but have been unable to find much information about its care and management. We have a huge specimen in our garden partly overhanging a neighbour’s garden and I think we ought to prune it back. We moved into our house over thirty years ago, the previous owner was a keen gardener and planted many shrubs which we have left largely untouched. The dipelta is probably at maximum growth, around 2 to 3 metres high and around the same spread. I have never done anything to it and it has multitudinous branches at all angles. It flowers quite happily every year and birds seem to love it for its shelter. Its “feet” are sheltered from the south by a six foot fence and its crown is in full sun most of the day. It is now extending over the lawn quite considerably and also over the fence into our neighbours garden. They have never complained but I think I ought to prune it back. The question is how, and how hard? I don’t want to damage it. Should I take out individual stems at or close to ground level or should I just trim back all branches as you would a hedge, and when is the best time of year? I have read that winter is a good time but also have read to prune it soon after flowering. Any advice welcome.
I’m new to the forum and my gardening experience is near zero despite being in my 70’s. (I blame my father who loved ponds, rockeries and conifers but not much else!) I’ve been seeking information on Dipelta Floribunda but have been unable to find much information about its care and management. We have a huge specimen in our garden partly overhanging a neighbour’s garden and I think we ought to prune it back. We moved into our house over thirty years ago, the previous owner was a keen gardener and planted many shrubs which we have left largely untouched. The dipelta is probably at maximum growth, around 2 to 3 metres high and around the same spread. I have never done anything to it and it has multitudinous branches at all angles. It flowers quite happily every year and birds seem to love it for its shelter. Its “feet” are sheltered from the south by a six foot fence and its crown is in full sun most of the day. It is now extending over the lawn quite considerably and also over the fence into our neighbours garden. They have never complained but I think I ought to prune it back. The question is how, and how hard? I don’t want to damage it. Should I take out individual stems at or close to ground level or should I just trim back all branches as you would a hedge, and when is the best time of year? I have read that winter is a good time but also have read to prune it soon after flowering. Any advice welcome.
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How to prune
Pruning requirements depend on the type of shrub, but all early-flowering shrubs need routine removal of damaged, diseased or dead wood, as follows:
Then continue depending on the type of shrub. For convenience, we have divided early-flowering deciduous shrubs into three groups on the basis of timing and type of pruning required:
1. Deciduous shrubs with flowers on strong young growth (Pruning group 2)
Timing: Prune immediately after flowering
Examples: Flowering currant (Ribes), Forsythia, mock orange (Philadelphus), Weigela
Pruning: Cut back flowered growth to strong young shoots lower down. Each year cut out up to 20 percent of ageing stems to near the base.
From the RHS. Dipelta is a group 2 shrub for pruning purposes.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
Glorious shrubs that flowers in June.
However, it was not as huge or old as yours, so I never needed to prune it.
So suggest you follow advice from RHS as given by punkdoc.
Good luck.
Good to clear old dead wood out.
Bear in mind pruning time which is best for Dipelta is.....
Quote......" Deciduous shrubs with flowers on strong young growth (Pruning group 2)
Timing: Prune immediately after flowering"