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Mahonia plant

bulkerbbulkerb Posts: 258
in Plants

In a garden I work at it has a mahonia plant it has 3 or 4 stems which are around 5 feet high if I were to cut all these stems down to 3 feet high leaving the stems looking like 4 sticks will I have killed it or will it produce hidden buds lower down and if so why will it do that cheers Lester 

Posts

  • Ladybird4Ladybird4 Posts: 37,906

    Hi Lester. Just as you nip out the tips of annuals and other bedding plants to make them more bushy, cutting back the tops of many shrubs (e.g. Fuchsias and Roses) produces a similar effect. There are dormant buds down the lengths of the stems which are stimulated into growth once the main bud at the top has been removed. You will not have killed your Mahonia. Try to find a little undeveloped bud on the stem and make a sloping cut (this allows rain to run off the stem top) above it.

    Cacoethes: An irresistible urge to do something inadvisable
  • IamweedyIamweedy Posts: 1,364

    It is really hard to kill a Mahonia by pruning. I chopped ours to within an inch of its life and it grew again.

    This was an established plant,. But as it was at first  a very small plant off the market, I had planted it far too close to the fence. 

    I eventually replaced it and a new one is in a better position. Two guys fought to get the old one  and its roots out.

    How soon can you cut the stem of a younger plant to get it branching it?

    The  plant is certainly looking stronger and growing better than when in was planted a year Lots of nice berries now.




    'You must have some bread with it me duck!'

  • Ladybird4Ladybird4 Posts: 37,906

    As long as the stem is nicely growing and strong you can cut it when you like. You need to be careful with some shrubs though as cutting them at the wrong time can lead to a loss of flowers in the next season.

    Cacoethes: An irresistible urge to do something inadvisable
  • IamweedyIamweedy Posts: 1,364

    Thank you all done.  I cut down the top group of new leaves and left the berries underneath to ripen as the birds love them.




    'You must have some bread with it me duck!'

  • bulkerbbulkerb Posts: 258

    Thank you great advice will tell the owners it may look a little odd to start but all will come right for next season. I should cut it back this weekend cheers Lester 

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