Do I Need to Prune Abelias?

Growth Habit

• Multiple factors play into the decision whether or not to prune abelia shrubs. In a residential garden where growing space is limited, shrub size determines if and how much pruning is done. Depending on abelia species or cultivar, the shrub may naturally remain dwarf and tidy, 3 to 5 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide, or become much larger, such as 10 feet tall and 12 feet wide. Larger-maturing abelias often require more pruning to limit their size in the confines of a border or foundation bed. Abelias grow vigorously in summer's warmth, producing long stems that jut out from the lower, thicker mass of twigs and leaves.

What to Prune

• Whenever you encounter dead or broken stems on an abelia shrub, you should prune to remove them. This improves the appearance of the shrub and helps the plant sprout new growth from nearby dormant buds. Diseased plant parts also warrant removal, especially if pesticides or other remedies for the disease aren't effective or safe to use. Many gardeners prefer seeing the mounding silhouette of abelia shrubs. The long new growth branches that spread out from the plant are trimmed off to maintain plant symmetry or limit plant size.

Time Frame

• Trimming abelias when they are growing from spring to fall reduces the amount of flowers produced. For this reason alone, some people may opt to not prune the shrub if there is ample space for it to mature to full size. If the abelia shrub is deciduous in winter, conduct pruning in late winter just before new growth commences. Vigorous-growing deciduous types may also be cut back harshly to its main structural branches 18 to 24 inches high in late winter. The shrub then rejuvenates. Evergreen abelias are pruned after the first, primary flowering display in early summer, trimming back branches that spoil the symmetry of the shrub.

Recommendations

• From a biological healthy or flowering viewpoint, abelias do not need to be pruned. These shrubs survive without the manipulating hands of man constantly trimming or pruning. Flowers occur on new growth twigs and branches each year. Pruning is needed only if you wish to tidy the plant's shape or limit its size. Old, overgrown abelias improve their vigor and habit if given a harsh rejuvenation pruning in late winter. Sickly, poorly-performing abelia shrubs should simply be removed and replaced with another plant species that is better suited to the site's soil and light conditions.