Ninebark pruning

[Emerald]

Can someone please advise me about pruning this shrub so that I get flowers in spring? Thanks much.

Lorraine

[paghat]

I almost never prune mine & they are in full bloom by May, & decorative seedheads by July. It blooms on second-year or older wood so if you prune it a lot every year it'll have fewer flowers, plus it won't have so much exfoliating bark which increases its winter beauty. If you really need to prune it this should be for size, & best time is during the growing season after it is done blooming, giving it the rest of the year to regrow some limbs that might be old enough to bloom for the following year's May. It could also be pruned in late winter early spring, the shrub wouldn't hate it, but it would not flower much that year. Every couple years I slightly thin my two ninebarks by taking some branches out at the very bottom, but in the main I encourage them to become huge eight-foot-plus shrubs. They're the purple variety & they haven't suckered the way wild green ones do. Article here:

the ratgirl

[Emerald]

Thank you, paghat! You've been very helpful! I'm grateful for the pics, the flowers and seedheads are lovely. Can't wait to see mine next spring.

Em