How to Prune Goumi Shoots

The goumi or Elaeagnus multiflora, is a woody, multi-stemmed, fruit bearing shrub that grows to roughly 9 feet in height. It has abundant dark green glossy leaves on wide-spreading branches. Goumi shrubs flower in early spring. In June and July, they bear edible cherry-sized fruits that can be dried, jellied or canned. Goumi shrubs should be pruned twice a year. This plant tolerates hard pruning, so you can cut back as much as needed. Root the cuttings to produce new plants.

Pruning shears
Lopping shears
Pruning saw

Instructions

- 1
  Prune dead wood and crisscrossing branches in late winter after the hard freezes end. Use pruning shears, lopping shears or a pruning saw according to the size of the branches to be removed. Prune dead branches back to live wood. Prune crisscrossed branches back to the live stem. Cut off the weaker branch.
- 2
  Prune old branches from the bushes in late summer after harvesting the fruit. Look for branches over 1 inch in diameter and cut them off. This makes room for fruit-bearing new shoots. Use the lopping shears or pruning saw to cut the old branches close to the stem.
- 3
  Snip off the suckers or water shoots growing from the base of the plant unless you want additional stems. Do this in late summer. Trim twigs and branches of the plants as needed to shape them and keep them from sprawling over walks or shading other plants.

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