The evergreen medlar boasts decorative attributes if it is cut correctly at the best possible time. Skilled pruning care plays a key role in the impressive triad of bright leaf shoots, picturesque flowers and autumnal berry decorations. This tutorial deals in detail with the pruning of Photinia species as a magnificent solitaire, majestic hedge and distinctive standard tree. You can find out here when and how to properly cut loquats.
When should you cut a loquat?
Cut the loquat between October and March. Carry out the maintenance pruning in June or July. The perfect time for a corrective cut is between August and September. Reschedule thinning cuts until late winter.
Cutting types and dates
The best-known representative of the medlar genus is the red-leaved medlar with its star variety 'Red Robin'. The most beautiful decoration of the decorative ornamental shrub is the bright red shoots of young leaves. In sunny locations, the play of colors delights from spring to summer. Pretty contrasts are created when the white flowers appear from May to June. In autumn, the flower spikes turn into red, apple-shaped berries that serve as a valuable source of food for birds. With a cut at the right time, you can support the picturesque festival of colors and keep the loquat in shape. The following table summarizes all cutting options with information on the best possible dates:
| Cut style | Goal/Occasion | best date | Appointment option II |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plant cutting | good branching at the base of the bush | after planting in spring | End of June to mid-July |
| Build-up cut | compact growth to final height | after the flowering period | Mid to late August |
| Solitaire clearing cut | Thinning out dead wood, maintaining shape | every 3 to 5 years from February to early March | none |
| Topiary hedge | Growth control, promotion of colorful leaf shoots | every year after the flowering period at the end of June | if required mid to end of August |
| Topiary standard crown | Maintaining the crown shape | several times per season from the end of June to the end of August | none |
| Rejuvenation cut | gradual revitalization | over 3 years in January/February | none |
Cotoneaster species bloom from May to June on theprevious year's shootsIt is also the young wood that gives us the colorful leaf shoots. The growth behavior means that the ornamental trees are generallyreserved cut. The classic date for pruning trees in early spring is no longer necessary because the flower buds fall victim to it. After the flowering period, a suitable time window opens for shape and correction cuts on solitaires and hedges. However, when the inflorescences wither, the plants for the decorative fruit decorations are removed at the same time. Cultivating loquats as a hedge means the gardener has to decide between a well-groomed, accurate appearance or autumnal berry decorations. After all, regular care cuts keep the tree young and vital so that it can boast of its bright red shoots from spring to summer.
Cut on planting day
Beginners in pruning care are plagued by reservations about pruning young loquats on the day of planting. Although 'Red Robin' and its relatives thrive with a growth rate of up to 50 centimeters per year, cutting the few young shoots creates an insecure feeling. The background explanations below explain why you should overcome all concerns and subject your loquat to a planting cut. As a result, you will be rewarded with a vitalbranching at the base of the bush that will last. How to do it right:
- After planting, cut back all shoots by a third or half
- Remove noticeably weak or damaged branches
- Make each cut 3 to 4 millimeters above an outward-facing bud
Measure the cutting circumference according to the rule of thumb: the better the young plant branches, the less there is to cut. It is an advantage if you aim for apyramidal shape in this early phase of pruning care. This premise applies equally to the solitary shrub and the hedge. Light and sunlight can only reach deep into the interior of the tree if the crown is narrower than the base.
So that a loquat has strong branches as a solitary plant or hedge, cut the shoots back by a third or half. This then creates a sap in the lower part of the bush, which encourages dormant buds to sprout.
Background
Without sap pressure, no branching - plant cutting makes it possible
In many plants, the summit bud dominates growth. There is stronger growth at this point than at the side buds. Pressure is used to pump a large portion of the nutrients toward the top bud because the plant wants to win the race to light. The effect will be clearly visible if the summit bud is removed. Immediately afterwards, increased sprouting begins on the side buds that were previously provided with secondary care. The explaineddominance of the tip bud is less pronounced in evergreen trees than in herbaceous or deciduous plants. Nevertheless, the removal of summit buds on the leading shoot and on shoots below has the effect that buds at the base of the bush sprout more and trigger dense branching.
Stepwise construction cut
The most beautiful loquat varieties impress with their loose, broad, bushy growth. The variety primus 'Red Robin' achieves an impressive width of up to 200 centimeters at a height of 300 centimeters. This poses the risk that the shrub will quickly fall apart as a solitary plant and hedge. With agradual pruning you promote compact, densely branched growth. How to do it professionally:
- Prune solitaire or hedge after flowering at the end of June
- Short this year's growth down to 10 or 15 centimeters
- Cut back the new growth to 10 or 15 centimeters in mid-August
Prune loquats at the top and sides so that a dense, bushy habit develops. From the beginning of September onwards, no pruning is carried out so that the branches mature before the first frost. Stay true to theconical cutting profile so that the trees as a shrub or hedge always thrive in light.
Tip
Cotoneaster species are closely related to hawthorn (Crataegus), firethorn (Pyracantha) and cotoneaster (Cotoneaster). The genera are assigned to the rose family. In contrast to their prickly relatives, loquats do not have sharp thorns. Only the non-hardy Photinia davidsoniae is armed with small thorns.
Solitaire rarely cut
A skillful build-up cut leaves the loquat with a harmonious, stable silhouette at the desired height. The subsequent pruning care is limited tothinningof dead wood andshortening of excessively long shoots that protrude from the shape. How to do it right:
- Prune the cotoneaster shrub every 3 to 5 years
- Best time is February to early March
- First cut off dead wood at the base
- Remove weak and cross-growing shoots that are directed towards the interior of the bush
- Branches protruding from the shape of the bush refer to a young side shoot
Please note the different choice of dates compared to the construction and form cutting. A thinning cut affects the growth deeply, so that it is subject to the regulations of the Federal Nature Conservation Act. This stipulates that radical cuts on trees, such as thinning out or planting, are permitted from October 1st to February 28th. In the midst of the summer grace period, light care and shape cuts are permitted in this year's growth.
Draining excessively long shoots – short instructions for derivation cutting
If the gardener is familiar with derivative pruning, he or she can bridge the gap from the amateur “somewhere pruning” to the professional “know-how pruning”. If excessively long shoots protrude from your loquat, the cutting technique of the derivation solves the problem. If you cut the offending branch anywhere, a gap will be created in the appearance. However, proceed as shown in the figure below,slimming the shoot. How to do it right:
- Select a short, vital side shoot in the lower area of the shoot to be shortened
- Pick up sharp, disinfected pruning shears
- Stabilize the branch with the other hand
- Place the scissor blades just behind the fork between the old and young shoots
- Result: young side shoot takes over the leadership position
Please be careful not to cut into the young wood. It is an advantage if you make the cut 2 to 3 millimeters behind the branching on the old shoot. Up to a branch diameter of 3 to 4 centimeters, complete the cut with pruning shears with a bypass mechanism for smooth cuts. For drive strengths beyond this, we recommend a folding saw, also known as a Japanese saw.
Pruning overly long branches can be done professionally with a derivation cut. Cut off an old, worn-out shoot where a young side shoot branches off.
Cut the loquat hedge into shape
In mild winter, wind-protected regions, loquat bushes form a hedge with a special flair. The evergreen, shiny leaves paired with bright red shoots make the hedge a feast for the eyes with a privacy factor. To ensure that the green wall stays in shape with that certain extra something, the time window for pruning care opensat the end of June. How to achieve the perfect shape cut:
- Check the hedge for nesting birds and cut it later if necessary
- Cut back branches that stick out on the sides
- Short branches protruding from the top
- Ideally cut into a trapezoid shape
If the hedge consists of strong-growing loquat varieties, such as 'Red Robin' or 'Pink Marble', note another topiary on the schedule for mid to late August. Pruning care for this year ends at the beginning of September so that your loquat hedge goes into the cold season with stable shoot tips.
Excursus
Magnificent leaves thanks to manual pruning care
Cotoneaster owes its name to the elegant, shiny, smooth-edged leaves, which are up to 5 centimeters wide and 15 centimeters long. Machine-operated scissors are unsuitable for skilled pruning care. Electric shrub and hedge trimmers work with short or long knife bars that run against each other. Single counter-rotating knives work with a movable and a stationary cutting edge. Double counter-rotating knives have two movable cutting edges. The way it works poses the risk of large medlar leaves getting caught in the knife bar. To ensure that the magnificent foliage survives pruning without damage, we recommend amanual two-handed hedge trimmer for all types of cutting.
Cut the loquat standard tree every year
As a standard graft, the premium variety 'Red Robin' has a brilliant career ahead of it. The innovative variant is perfect for the creative design of small gardens and has recently been taking gardeners' hearts by storm. The undemanding compatibility with cutting allows it to be trained as a shapely spherical crown. Due to the vigorous growth of young shoots, use scissors at least once a year. This is how you get a flawless crown cut:
- The best time is after the end of the flowering period between the end of June and mid-July
- Cut back all shoots that hang or stand out of the crown shape
- If shoots are too long, ideally divert them to a young side shoot
- Remove shoots pointing towards the inside of the crown
- Preferably cut back just above an outward-facing bud
So that balcony gardeners can enjoy the picturesque play of colors, competent breeders have produced 'Little Red Robin'. The evergreen trunk graft remains at a height of 80 centimeters and is equipped with all the magnificent attributes of its big brother. The pruning care of both varieties is no different.
Pruning on buds – this is how it works
If young shoots sprout outwards after a cut, you have done everything right. The secret of success lies in the cutting technique on buds. The figure below illustrates the correct procedure compared to an incorrect incision. Place the scissors just above aoutward-facing bud. A bud can be recognized as a slightly thickened knot under or on the bark. A cut into the bud is just as bad as a long stub.
Always cut loquat shoots at a short distance from outward-facing buds. With this cutting technique you point sprouting shoots in the correct direction of growth towards the outside of the crown, shrub and hedge.
Rejuvenate in stages
If the ravages of time gnaw at a loquat, you can bring the colorful flowers and leaves back into life with a rejuvenating cut. Revitalization is successful if you proceed in three stages. Far from their Asian homeland, loquat bushes lack the strength to rejuvenate in one go. How to proceed correctly step by step:
- Best time for each stage is between the end of January and the end of February
- First stage: Clear out dead wood and cut back one side of the bush or hedge
- Second stage: shorten the opposite side of the bush or hedge
- Third stage: Prune the shrub or hedge crown by one to two thirds
- After each cut, fertilize with compost and horn shavings or guano granules
Loquats can cope better with rejuvenation pruning if you remove as many old shoots as possible. Before you radically cut off an old branch, please look for a young side shoot in the lower area. Cutting takes place where old and young wood fork. If there is no suitable option for derivation, cut or saw the branch in question to a height of 20 to 30 centimeters. A step-by-step approach improves the incidence of light into the interior of the plant after the first stage. This has the advantage that in the course of rejuvenation the first shoots sprout and bald spots grow over.
Background
Rejuvenation cut activates sleeping buds
When radically pruned branches sprout again from short stubs, trees never cease to amaze us. The medlar is one of the diverse shrubs that are capable of this floral masterpiece. With wise foresight, plants produce dormant buds as they grow. The only task of these dormant vegetation points is to replace plant parts that fail due to adverse circumstances. The loquat interprets a rejuvenation cut as an emergency and sprouts from its dormant buds. In gardening terms, the reserve systems are called sleeping eyes because they are tiny and almost invisible beneath the bark waiting to be activated.
Frequently asked questions
Frost damage to my loquat – what to do?
As an Asian immigrant, the medlar cannot rely on the home advantage of reliable frost hardiness. The young shoots with red leaves are particularly at risk. Delayed ground frosts in spring leave a devastation on the shrub. Leaves and shoot tips hang limp and frozen. This is no reason to write off the affected loquat completely. Wait until mid/late May. After the Ice Saints you can see exactly the extent of the forest damage. Cut frozen shoots back to he althy wood. To identify he althy wood, scrape off a little bark. Where green tissue appears, you can use scissors. After cutting, apply an organic fertilizer to encourage growth.
Can the loquat 'Red Robin' be made into a ball as a single bush? If so, should I put two plants together for denser growth?
In its single position, the loquat 'Red Robin' grows up to 2 meters wide. For this reason, one plant is completely sufficient if the site conditions are right and an adequate supply is ensured. The variety 'Red Robin' tolerates pruning well and can easily be cut into a spherical shape.
How narrow can I cut loquats as a hedge. Our driveway allows a maximum hedge width of 40 centimeters
Basically, it is possible to grow a hedge of loquats with a width of 40 centimeters. However, the very narrow growth habit requires frequent pruning appointments. It needs to be trimmed at least 3 times a year to prevent your hedge from growing into the driveway. The 'Smaragd' tree of life (Thuja occidentalis) or the pruning-tolerant yew (Taxus baccata) are more suitable for the design plan. Among the deciduous trees, common beech (Fagus sylvatica) and hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) are ideal.
The loquat has grown too big for my small garden. Can I cut the bush back heavily now in October?
Loquats are generally easy to cut. An important prerequisite for sprouting after a vigorous pruning is the timing. Ideally, prune the shrub in early spring, ideally in February to early March. Then provide the loquat with compost and horn shavings or a complete organic fertilizer. Now in October the plant has stopped growing and is no longer sprouting. In addition, freshly cut shoots are threatened by frost damage.
When and how often should I trim the red loquat for even and dense growth?
The more often you cut loquats, the more strongly the shoots branch and the denser the growth. A pyramidal cut profile is particularly important for loquats. The bush should be noticeably wider at the bottom than at the top. Otherwise, you can expect that the bush or hedge will become bare, which can only be remedied with a radical rejuvenation cut. For the first three years, we recommend cutting a red loquat in February, June and August. On older specimens the growth rate is reduced, so an annual topiary in late winter is sufficient.
Should the withered flowers of a loquat be cut off or not? The shrub is in a sunny location in the middle of our family garden
On all loquat species and varieties, the flowers turn into poisonous fruits by autumn that are reminiscent of small apples. Eating just a few berries is enough to cause nausea and vomiting. If the ornamental tree is within the reach of children, all withered flowers should be cleaned out immediately after flowering. Place the scissors below the terminal panicles, just above an opposite pair of leaves.
Our 8 year old cotoneaster 'Red Robin' has never been cut. The bush is now fairly bare near the ground. Does the bush become dense again after pruning?
The 'Red Robin' loquat is very easy to cut and then sprouts reliably again. You should carry out a strong pruning in two or three stages. First, shorten the pages by a third or half. Take this opportunity to thin out dead branches and remove any branches that are growing unfavorably inwards. The following year, prune the shrub crown by a third. The best time is in early spring, shortly before new growth begins. The cut causes sap to accumulate in the lower part of the bush, whereupon new shoots sprout. We also recommend fertilizing the loquat regularly with compost and horn shavings.
The 3 most common cutting mistakes
A loquat without flowers and fruits is the victim of a typical cutting error. The same applies if the ornamental tree develops a misshapen shape or no longer sprouts after a rejuvenation cut. The three most common mistakes when cutting loquats are summarized in the following table:
| Cutting errors | malicious image | Prevention |
|---|---|---|
| cut in spring | Failure of flowers and fruit ornaments | Cut loquat after flowering |
| long branches cut | misshapen, patchy growth | always cut on outward-facing buds, remove excessively long shoots |
| Rejuvenation cut in one go | Total failure | rejuvenate in 3 stages |
Tip
Loquats are native to Asian regions and are onlyconditionally hardy To ensure that the evergreen ornamental trees survive a Central European winter unscathed, cover the soil in the bed with pine brushwood and leaves. Cover the containers with several layers of bubble wrap and place the containers on a wooden block. If winter comes with bitter cold and bright sunshine, a fleece cover protects the shrub from winter drought stress.