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Advice on pruning cotinus smoke tree for new garden

mo6mo6 Posts: 28
in Talkback

I am having my small front garden changed from crazy paving  which is not looking good to stepped railway sleepers and stones for easy management in my north facing garden . I have a large cotinus in the corner .I want to retain it but it has become very large , in fact its a tree now . I would like advise on whether pruning it hard now will damage it , or is it too late . Landscaper is comming early next month.any help would be welcome . 

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    They can be pruned back quite hard usually. How big is it mo? You might want to do it in stages, just to be on the safe side if it's really big.

    Pruning encourages the colourful foliage too image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,036

    I did a big one over two years, had to saw off some quite big branches; It made lovely new growth. Did it in the spring.

    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • Dave MorganDave Morgan Posts: 3,123

    You can coppice it now Mo. There will be dormant buds within the lower branches or main trunk. Very resilient shrubs.

  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601

    You're kidding! Mine nearly died in its windy spot so I moved it to a bit more shelter about two and a half years ago. It bucked up immediately and started to grow and is now about five foot tall. I have nursed it like a baby to get it this far!

  • Dave MorganDave Morgan Posts: 3,123

    Posy they love it no kidding! A mass of colourful foliage with those lovely bracts. 

  • mo6mo6 Posts: 28

    Thanks you all for your help . It is about 8 foot now and is really beautiful  when it is in leaf and flowers why I have been reluctant to prune it back but it is over hanging the pavement  a bit too ,in part, and needs must . I f I can get someone to cut it back to a smaller tree then it will be easier to manage too image Again many thanks.

  • mo6mo6 Posts: 28

    Thanks Verdun, yes agree its a beauty and brightens up my north facing garden. Will grasp the nettle and  prune . Once my garden is redone I can add some small green shrubs on the slates and then all should be easier to manage .Cant wait to see the finished garden . will put a before and after on here when its completed image

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