# How to Trim a Butterfly Cassia so It Won't Fall Over
Butterfly cassia or Christmas cassia (Cassia bicapsularis), a winter-blooming shrub that thrives in USDA Plant Hardiness zones 9 to 11, grows rapidly and can be sprawling. Because it can grow to 12 feet high, it can become top-heavy. The plant doesn't have an extensive root system, so it's prone to falling over. While keeping the shrub trimmed drastically can prevent this, most gardeners choose to stake the shrub and let it grow as nature intended.
Things You'll Need
- Loppers
- Clippers
- Saw
Instructions
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1
Remove roughly 30 percent of the branches of your butterfly cassia, using loppers and clippers immediately after blooms have faded.
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2
Let the plant rest until early spring, then remove roughly 20 percent of the remaining growth. Use a saw for larger branches if needed.
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3
Trim branches so the shrub doesn't grow over 5 feet tall and 4 feet wide. Remove any crossing limbs and thin out growth to increase air circulation and decrease the mass of top branches. The thicker the growth, the more susceptible it is to being blown over by wind. As the trunk thickens, allow the plant to grow slightly larger, but don't allow it to grow unrestrained.
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