Its toxicity seems insignificant considering its beautiful leaves, flowers and fruits. The love pearl bush can become a visual highlight. Does cutting play a crucial role?
When and how should you prune a love pearl bush?
A love pearl bush should ideally be thinned out in summer or cut back after flowering. Alternatively, autumn or spring are suitable. However, keep in mind that cutting may result in fewer flowers and fruit. For propagation purposes, remove annual shoots and use cuttings.
Cutting at the expense of flowers and fruits
If you use scissors on the love pearl bush, you have to be aware of one consequence: cutting removes the flower heads for the coming season. As a result, less decorative berries are produced. The reason for this is that this shrub flowers and bears fruit on two-year-old wood.
Avoid aging – thin out in summer
A thinning cut can be started at any time on a frost-free day. But the optimal time for this is in summer. Then see which branches have few flowers. You should cut these away. Remove such branches to the ground. New shoots will then soon be pushed in from below.
Cut in autumn or spring
Ideally, the beautiful fruit should be cut back a little immediately after flowering. Alternatively, it can be pruned in autumn or spring. Parts of plants that freeze in winter (not uncommon) are removed immediately in spring.
Cutting is not necessary
Since the easy-care love pearl bush naturally has a magnificent growth habit, it does not necessarily need pruning. But for various reasons, a cut may still be appropriate.
Here are possible reasons:
- grown too close
- too many old shoots
- crossing shoots
- stricken by illness
- got too big or wide
- too many rotten branches
- Get branches for the vase
- bald from below
Cutting to obtain cuttings for propagation
The handle can also be suitable for the scissors during propagation. The love pearl bush can be propagated with cuttings:
- select long, he althy shoots (annual)
- 10 to 15 cm long
- there should be a pair of buds at the bottom
- Put deep into potting soil so that 1 to 2 cm sticks out at the top
- keep moist
- Protect from frost in the first winter
Tip
Don't worry if a radical cut is unavoidable: the beautiful fruit will sprout again even after such a rigorous cut. However, it will take several years for it to regain its shape.
