Basically, you can leave a daphne to its own devices. If you have enough space at the location in the garden, all you need to do is grab the secateurs if you want to rejuvenate it. However, regular pruning is advisable to ensure abundant flowering.
When and how should you cut daphne?
To cut daphne optimally, shorten all shoots by about a third immediately after flowering and again in autumn. Avoid heavy pruning and wear gloves when cutting as daphne is poisonous.
Reasons for cutting daphne
- Keeping the shrub in shape
- Stimulate flower growth
- Daphne rejuvenation
- Remove diseased shoots
Always wear gloves when cutting (€17.00 on Amazon), as toxins enter the body when you come into contact with the bark of the daphne!
Shaping daphne bushes
Daphne is one of the low ornamental shrubs. It will rarely grow beyond 1.50 meters. It also remains quite narrow, so it only needs to be shortened if you don't want it to grow to full size.
Cut the daphne into shape after flowering and again in autumn. You should only shorten it slightly each time.
Daphne tolerates very severe pruning or cutting back to the cane and, in the worst case, dies.
The best time to cut daphne
The flowers and later the fruits of daphne develop at the tips of the previous year's shoots. If you forego cutting, the flowers will “migrate” further outwards and the bush will no longer look as decorative during the flowering period.
In order to encourage a dense bloom, you should prune immediately after flowering. Shorten all shoots by approximately a third. New side shoots develop at the interfaces and bear flowers next spring.
However, by cutting you remove the unfortunately poisonous bright red fruits, which are a good source of food for ten species of birds.
Rejuvenate daphne by pruning it
So that the bushes stay nice and dense and do not get old, cut off old branches as low as possible above the ground once a year or every two to three years.
The daphne sprouts new shoots at the interfaces and branches vigorously.
Tip
Daphne is characterized by its particular ease of care. In addition, the shrub can cope with almost any soil and is resistant to most diseases and pests.