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发帖数: 8550 | 1 hhttp://gardening.about.com/od/maintenance/a/Spring_Pruning.htm
Suggested Perennial Plants to Prune in the Spring（A-D)
Artemisia Most Artemisia don’t like being pruned in the fall. The growth
that results is too tender to survive
the winter and the dieback is often enough to kill the whole plant. Clean in
early spring. (USDA Zones 5 - 9)
Asters Fall blooming asters have generally been pinched and forced several
times throughout the growing
season. Once they are finally allowed to bloom, they appreciate being left
alone to recuperate, until spring.
Several bloom so late into the fall, the question of fall clean-up becomes
moot. (USDA Zones 4 - 8)
Astilbe Astilbe don’t require much maintenance. Fall clean-up is
unnecessary and may weaken the plant’s
tolerance for cold. Minimal spring clean-up is required. (USDA Zones 3 - 8)
Balloon Flower (Platycodon grandiflorus) If pruned for sturdiness, Balloon
flower blooms late in the season
and remains attractive until frost. Since it is late emerging in the spring,
it helps to leave the old foliage as a
marker. (USDA Zones 3 - 8)
Basket-of-Gold (Aurinia saxatilis) Although Aurinia fares best and lives
longer if sheared back after
flowering and not allowed to go to seed, the foliage can be evergreen in
mild winters and there doesn’t
seem to be any benefit to cutting it back until spring. (USDA Zones 3 - 7)
Bear’s Breeches (Acanthus spinosus) You may need to cut back old, dying
foliage throughout the growing
season, but the new healthy growth remaining in the fall could well remain
evergreen throughout the
winter, depending on weather conditions. (USDA Zones 6 - 10)
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida) Although not particularly attractive in
winter, the seed heads will feed
the birds. (USDA Zones 3 - 9)
Blue Mist Shrub (Caryopteris) Caryopteris bloom on new growth. Cut back to 6
-8 inches in the spring.
Newer varieties, especially, can be very sensitive to cold and shouldn't be
cut back until buds begin to
green. (USDA Zones 5 - 9)
Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii) To lessen winter kill, wait for signs of
green at the base and then cut back
to 6 - 10 inches. (USDA Zones 6 - 9)
Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) Although Asclepias is a prolific self-
seeder and should be deadheaded
if dozens of new plants are not wanted, it winters better if the foliage is
allowed to protect the crown. (USDA
Zones 4 - 9)
Campanula Most campanulas get sheared back at some point during the summer,
to clean up ugly or
damaged foliage and encourage another flush of blooming. Fresh basal foliage
will result and should be left
through winter, so as not to encourage more tender growth in the fall. (USDA
Zones 3 - 8)
Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) Although Cardinal Flower likes moist
soil, it doesn’t like sitting in cold,
wet soil all winter. Leaving the foliage and flower stems in tact protects
Cardinal Flower from some of the
ravages of winter, so hold off clean-up until spring. At that point, you can
trim the damaged areas or
simply cut back to the ground. (USDA Zones 3 - 9)
Coral Bells (Heuchera) Heuchera are prone to heaving in soils that freeze
and thaw. Leaving the foliage in
tact helps to mulch the plants through winter. (USDA Zones 4 - 9)
Cushion Spurge (Euphorbia polychroma) In warmer climates, Euphorbia can
actually become a shrub and it’s
fine to leave the plant alone until spring and then clean out the dead
foliage. In colder climates, simply cut
the plant back to its base in the spring. (USDA Zones 4 - 8)
Delphinium If you’re lucky enough to grow Delphiniums as perennials, remove
the flower stalks, but allow
the foliage to remain until spring. (USDA ones 3 - 7)
Dianthus Most Dianthus can remain somewhat evergreen throughout the winter
and nothing is gained by
cutting back in the fall. They will still need some clean-up in the spring.
(USDA Zones 5 - 8) | x******n
发帖数: 8550 | 2 F-L
Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia) Tiarella enjoys the cool days of fall and
may remain evergreen throughout the winter. (USDA Zones 3 - 8)
Foxglove, Perennial (Digitalis purpurea) Since perennial Foxgloves are
usually pruned back after flowering and produce a rosette of basal growth,
nothing more is needed until a light cleaning in spring. (USDA Zones 3 - 8)
Fringed Leaf Bleeding Heart (Dicentra formosa / eximia) Although the crowns
like to be high enough in the soil to be protected from dampness, the
foliage is slight enough to leave for the winter and almost disappears by
spring. (USDA Zones 3 - 9)
Gas Plant (Dictamnus albus) The seed heads of the Gas Plant can look
attractive well into fall, but the real reason to cut back in early spring
is that the sap that irritates many gardener’s skin is not as pronounced
during the plant’s dormant stage. (USDA Zones 3 - 9)
Gayfeather (Liatris spicata) Liatris is another plant that is more sensitive
to cool, wet soil than to cold temperatures. When left standing over winter
, the seed heads provide food for the birds and may provide some self-
seeding, to make up for any plants that don’t survive. (USDA Zones 3 - 9)
Geum Geum can remain semi-evergreen throughout winter, so no fall pruning is
necessary, especially if you’ve been deadheading and cleaning up dead
leaves during the growing season. (USDA Zones 5 - 7)
Globe Thistle (Echinops ritro) Much like coneflowers, Echinops will respond
well to a pruning in July, producing more flowers and sturdier plants that
will stand for the winter and feed the birds. The plant’s winter survival
seems improved if not cut back hard in the fall. (USDA Zones 3 - 8)
Goldenrod (Solidago) The new hybrid goldenrods don’t seed or spread all
over the garden and can be left standing for winter interest. Study clumpers
, like ‘Fireworks’ and ‘Golden Fleece’, will remain upright through
spring. The old-fashioned species Solidago should be cut in fall, to avoid
invasiveness. (USDA 2 - 8)
Heartleaf Bergenia (Bergenia cordifolia) The shiny round leaves ca remain
evergreen in mild winters and even cold damaged leaves can remain an
attractive bronze color. Clean-up in spring, only as needed. (USDA Zones 3 -
8)
Hosta Although Hosta foliage gets ugly over winter, some Hosta varieties can
be damaged by spring frosts and benefit from the protection of the
collapsed foliage. (USDA Zones 3 - 8)
Italian Bugloss (Anchusa azurea) Much like Amsonia, Anchusa looks better and
self-seeds less if sheared back after flowering. Anchusa can be sheared all
the way back to the crown, since its foliage declines rapidly after
flowering. But then allow the plant to recover and don’t cut again until
spring. (USDA Zones 3 - 8)
Joe-Pye Weed (Eupatorium maculatum ) When a plant is bred from a common weed
, you can usually assume that it doesn’t need much care to survive. Joe-Pye
will bloom well into the fall and then produce fluffy seed heads. You can
cut it back if you choose, but it’s not necessary to the plant’s survival.
(USDA Zones 2 - 9)
Lady’s Mantle (Alchemilla mollis) Lady’s Mantle doesn’t really like to be
sheared back frequently. Occasional shearing or selective deleafing may be
necessary because of sun scorch, but Lady’s Mantle will over winter better
if left in tact and cleaned up in the spring. (USDA Zones 4 - 7)
Lamb’s Ear (Stachys byzantina) There’s no point in trying to clean up Lamb
’s Ear for the winter. Let it be and remove winter damage when the leaves
perk up in the spring. (USDA 4 - 8)
Lavender (Lavandula) Many areas have a hard time over-wintering lavender.
The problem is more often moisture than cold, but cold is a factor. Don’t
prune lavender late in the season, as new growth is extremely cold sensitive
. Wait until new growth appears in the spring before removing winter die
back. (USDA Zones 5 - 9)
Lavender Cotton (Santolina chamaecyparissus) As with Lavender above,
Santolina needs time to harden before winter. Don’t prune at all, after mid
-August and wait until new growth appears in the spring before pruning. (
USDA Zones 6 - 8)
Lupine (Lupinus) Lupines are temperamental, short-lived perennials and they
do not enjoy winter. Leave the foliage on for protection and hope for the
best come spring. (USDA Zones 4 - 6) | x******n
发帖数: 8550 | 3 M-Z
Mums (Chrysanthemum) Leave the foliage in tact to protect the plant’s crown
. All the better to let the flowers bloom well into the fall. (USDA Zones 5
- 9)
Oriental Poppy (Papaver orientale) Poppies appear to be ephemeral,
disappearing or declining after the blooms fade. However a new flush of
foliage should emerge and can be left on the plants over winter, to act as a
mulch. (USDA Zones 3 - 7)
Pincushion Flower (Scabiosa columbaria) You can remove the old flower stems,
but this plant is so temperamental, leaving the old foliage may be the only
way you will know where the plant was, come spring. In warmer areas, where
it is hardier, the foliage may be evergreen. (USDA Zones 5 - 7)
Plumbago (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides) There’s not much left to this plant
in winter. But many gardeners like to leave it standing so they’ll remember
where it is, since it is late to emerge in the spring. (USDA Zones 5 - 9)
Purple Coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) Coneflowers don’t look terribly
attractive in winter, but they do attract and feed birds. If you’d like
both birds and aesthetics, you can always prune your coneflowers in July and
get squat, sturdy plants that will provide seed and remain standing. (USDA
Zones 3 - 8)
Queen-of-the-Prairie /Queen-of-the-Meadow (Filipendula rubra / Filipendula
ulmaria) Prairie or meadow, these tall plants almost always flop over before
spring and can be cut back in the fall, after blooming. (USDA Zones 3 - 9)
Red-Hot Poker (Kniphofia) You can trim back the foliage as it begins to
decline, but don’t cut it back entirely. The crown is very sensitive to
cold and leaving a clump of foliage will help protect it. Trimming by ½
will keep the foliage from completely flopping over and retaining too much
moisture around the crown. (Zones 5 - 9)
Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) Like its cousin Lavender, Perovskia
doesn’t like to be trimmed back in that fall, because it’s tender growth
is too sensitive to cold. Wait until new growth appears in the spring and
then cut back to about 6 - 8". If the only new growth is from the base of
the plant, the entire top woody section has died back and it can be pruned
to the ground. (USDA Zones 5 - 9)
Sea Lavender (Limonium latifolium) The flowers are held so high on this airy
plant that it’s easy to forget the cluster of leaves at the base. Go ahead
and forget them. Let them be for the winter and clean-up any die back in
the spring. (USDA Zones 3 - 9)
Sea Holly (Eryngium) It’s the rare Eryngium that isn’t cut back for drying
, but a good deadheading in late summer will encourage a flush of basal
growth that will carry the plants through winter. No further fall pruning
should be done. (Zones 3 - 8)
Sedum Many of the tall Sedums can remain attractive throughout the winter,
even holding caps of snow on their flowerheads. ‘Autumn Joy’, in
particular, holds up very well. The basal foliage appears very early in
spring, so Sedum can be one of the first plants you prune in the spring. (
USDA Zones 3 - 10)
Tickseed (Coreopsis) Like Chelone, most coreopsis seem to fare better if
allowed to stand during the winter and cleaned-up in the spring. (USDA Zones
4 - 9)
Turtlehead (Chelone lyonii) Keeping the foliage on until spring seems to
improve Chelone’s winter survival. (USDA Zones 3 - 8)
Valarian, Jupiter’s Beard (Centranthus ruber) To be honest, I don’t have
much luck keeping this plant alive through winter. But I’m told that
cutting it back to about 6 - 8 inches in late summer and then leaving that
new growth over winter, increase the plant’s chance of survival. I’ll let
you know. (USDA Zones 5 - 8)
Wand Flower (Guara) Guara is such a short-lived perennial that allowing the
flowers to remain and possibly self-seed may be the only way you’ll see
another Guara pop up in the garden next spring. (USDA Zones 6 - 9)
Willow Amsonia (Amsonia tabernaemontana) Amsonia holds it’s shape better if
sheared by about 1/3 after flowering. You’ll lose the seed pods, but you’
ll prevent rampant self seeding. However after this initial shearing,
Amsonia responds better to being cut back in the spring, rather than the
fall. Spring pruning seems to rejuvenate it. (USDA Zones 3 - 9 |
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