Deadheading Shrubs

What is Deadheading?

• Deadheading refers to removing faded or dying blooms -- often referred to as spent flowers -- from the shrub. Although you might grow shrubs for their beauty, as far as the shrub is concerned, its major purpose is to produce flowers that form seeds to ensure reproduction. Removing the spent flowers tricks the shrub into thinking it has not produced enough blooms to reproduce.

The Results

• Once old blooms are removed, the shrub channels the energy it would have used to produce seeds into new growth. It typically produces new blooms to replace those you removed by deadheading. This extends the blooming season of your shrub and improves its overall appearance.

The Procedure

• Some shrubs, such as roses, can be deadheaded by hand by snapping the faded flower from the stem, but most require a clean set of pruning shears or a sharp knife. Make the cut directly behind the old bloom, if the bloom appears on a short stem. For shrubs that produce blooms on long stems, cut the stem back to the next set of leaves. Angle the cut to 45 degrees to allow the stem to heal properly.

Spring Flowering Shrubs

• Spring flowering shrubs form buds for next year's blooms during summer and fall and must be deadheaded immediately after blooming. Deadheading these shrubs later in the year removes the buds and results in no blooms the following year.

Summer and Fall Flowering Shrubs

• Shrubs that bloom in summer and fall generally bloom on new growth that appears in the spring. Although it is always desirable to remove spent flowers as soon as they appear, delaying deadheading on these shrubs will not interfere with next year's blooms. For shrubs that produce interesting seed pods -- such as the rose hips on roses -- many gardeners forgo deadheading or deadhead blooms early in the season and allow the last flowers to go to seed.