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Cornus - when to prune for winter stems

catrionad21E8Ym3ES1catrionad21E8Ym3ES1 Posts: 21
in Plants
Happy Bank Holiday everyone. 

I planted this in spring 2022 and it had lovely red stems last winter. I haven’t pruned it all as I read you should let the roots establish well first. It might be a bit late but do you recommend pruning now to get the lovely stems next winter? I hadn’t really paid attention to it recently and noticed they’ve turned brown. 


Posts

  • Silver surferSilver surfer Posts: 4,719


    Too late to prune it this year.
    Spring 2024 just before the leaves open would be a good time.
    Cut it back to about 6 - 9 "
    Perthshire. SCOTLAND .
  • Silver surferSilver surfer Posts: 4,719
    edited May 2023
    This is my Cornus alba sibirica.
    It has been in now for 7 years and i have never pruned it.

    In old garden last 2 pics show all prunings
    Below old garden...pruned 21st march.
    You can see new young leaves are not yet open.




    Perthshire. SCOTLAND .
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    Yes, if you want the best coloured stems, prune hard in early Spring.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • floraliesfloralies Posts: 2,718
    You are right in that you need to let the roots grow for the first couple of years and not to prune. What i don't understand is why the stems have gone brown. I grow Cornus Alba Baton Rouge which has bright red stems in the winter which don't change colour apart from the older ones which are pruned out in about February. I see you have new leaf growth but brown stems are a bit worrying to me. Perhaps someone else will have some tips.
  • floraliesfloralies Posts: 2,718
    Sorry, I have crossed with others posting!
  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,355
    Agree with Silver Surfer - it's a bit late for pruning cornus for winter colour (I did my Mid Winter Fire about 5 weeks ago).

    But that's not a bad thing. I have found that over enthusiastic pruning of cornus in the early years just makes for a weak plant.

    So, I'd leave it until end of Mar / early April next year, then just take out about a third of the stems / shape the plant. In the following years you'll have a 3 year old plus plant and you can prune it as hard as you see fit.
    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • catrionad21E8Ym3ES1catrionad21E8Ym3ES1 Posts: 21
    Thank you everyone, I will leave it be and prune next March. 

    I wonder if it isn’t in a sunny enough spot, the front garden is south facing but the Cornus is in front of a small north facing wall plus our neighbour’s huge magnolia blocks the evening sun. Could this explain the brown stems?

    Silver Surger, what a beautiful plant you have, in all seasons. 
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