Native plants are plants that grew in Marin and other California counties before European contact. Non-native plants are plants that have been introduced to Marin and other California counties as a result of European contact.
Much of the pruning guidance given in the section on “Pruning Fundamentals” applies equally to native plants. However, there are important differences.
Natives follow a different timetable Like non-native plants, some native plants flower and fruit on new wood, some on old wood and some on both. However, the timetable for major pruning of natives does not usually follow the same cycle as non-native plants, which tend to enter dormancy when days shorten and temperatures cool - hence major pruning for non-natives occurs in the winter.
Summer dormancy is typical for natives Most native plants tend to enter dormancy when days lengthen and temperatures warm. That is, many native plants have adapted to Marin’s hot, dry summer weather by entering dormancy when rainfall is scarce.
Major pruning of these plants occurs in the summer. However, pruning native plants can vary depending upon the characteristics of the plant that the gardener wants to promote.
WHAT to Prune
Some native plants are prized for their flowers, some for their fruit, some for their leaf color and texture, and some for their branch structure. Therefore, what a gardener decides to remove is often guided by what that gardener prizes in a native plant and wants to accent.
Scientific Name:Acer circinatumPrized forLeaf detail and graceful structure.Blooms onNew woodWhen to PruneWinter or very early spring (Ideal: February).What to PruneUse thinning cuts to reveal the structure. Pluck leaves in dense areas. > BACK TO PRUNING TIPS FOR NATIVE PLANTS
Scientific NameCeanothus spp.Prized forDense flower cover; and dark green leaves.Blooms onOld wood and new wood.When to PrunePrune after bloom - in the spring, after the rains have ended. Ceanothus are susceptible to apricot canker if pruned in wet weather. Note: The plant may have two or more bloom…
Scientific NameRhamnus californicaPrized forDeep green foliage.Blooms onN / AWhen to PruneAfter the winter bloom and the berries have faded. Can be lightly pruned all year.What to PruneUse small thinning cuts and tip pruning to establish the structure and to control the form. Structure may not be…
Scientific NameRibes spp.Prized forFlowers; and dark green foliageBlooms onOld woodWhen to PruneJune, July (Early Summer, after the winter bloom and the spring growth).What to PruneUse thinning cuts to reveal the structure of the plant. The stems are not long-lived. Therefore, taking out only new stems…
Scientific NameLyonothamnus floribundusPrized forFlowers; peeling bark; and leaf structure.Blooms onN / AWhen to PruneJanuary, but can remove dead material and persistent seed heads in late summer.What to PruneUse thinning cuts to open and reveal the structure.> BACK TO PRUNING TIPS FOR NATIVE PLANTS
Scientific NameArctostaphylos spp.Prized forDelicate flowers and leaves; twisting trunk and branches; and shiny red bark.Blooms onOld wood.When to PruneAugust, September, October, before flower buds emerge. Flowers form after the summer dormant season on old wood and bloom from the early winter to…
Scientific NameCercis occidentalisPrized forMass of pink flowers; and twisting branches and trunk. Blooms onOld woodWhen to PruneAugust – OctoberWhat to PruneUse thinning cuts to reveal the branch and trunk structure which is striking in the winter.> BACK TO PRUNING TIPS FOR NATIVE PLANTS
Scientific NameAmelanchier utahensisPrized forBerries. Upright structure.Blooms onOld woodWhen to PruneJanuaryWhat to PruneIt is best to thin canes from the bottom of the plant. Avoid heading cuts at mid-cane. They may produce “witches broom”, i.e., sprout lots of new growth at the end, causing a…
Scientific NameCalycanthus occidentalisPrized forLush foliage; red flowers; and seedpods.Blooms onNew woodWhen to PruneJanuaryWhat to PruneOne approach is to keep the plant full by tip pruning only. Alternatively, a plant can be trained as small, multi-trunk tree by using thinning and releadering cuts…
Scientific NameHeteromeles arbutifoliaPrized forBright red berries in November and December.Blooms onOld woodWhen to PruneIf interested in the berries, prune in January. If not interested in the berries, prune in August or September.What to PrunePrune for structure in August or September, although this…
