Prune hydrangeas now

# Prune hydrangeas now April is the moment when pruning can help some hydrangeas put on a much stronger summer show, but only if you cut the right kinds. Royal Horticultural Society guidance says Hydrangea paniculata and Hydrangea arborescens are the two main shrubby hydrangea types that respond well to pruning in early spring, and they tend to flower more prolifically when cut back each year. (rhs.org.uk) That is the key point behind recent coverage in the *Express* and the *Mirror*: not every hydrangea should be treated the same way in April. The confusion matters because some hydrangeas flower on older stems formed the previous year, while panicle hydrangeas and smooth hydrangeas produce flowers on new growth made in the current season. (rhs.org.uk) The Royal Horticultural Society’s advice is straightforward. For Hydrangea paniculata and Hydrangea arborescens, spring pruning is not just tidy-up work; it can improve flowering by encouraging vigorous new shoots that will carry that year’s blooms. (rhs.org.uk) That is why April is a useful window. By early spring, the worst of winter damage is easier to spot, buds are visible, and the plant is about to push into active growth, so cuts made now channel energy into fresh stems rather than wasted, weak wood. (rhs.org.uk) The two hydrangea groups involved are easy to recognize once you know what to look for. Hydrangea paniculata usually carries large, cone-shaped flowerheads in late summer and early autumn, while Hydrangea arborescens is known for rounded white flowerheads, with ‘Annabelle’ one of the best-known examples. (rhs.org.uk) For established Hydrangea paniculata, the Royal Horticultural Society says last year’s growth can be cut back to a framework of branches, typically leaving a few healthy buds on each stem. In broader Royal Horticultural Society shrub-pruning guidance, summer-flowering shrubs such as hydrangea paniculata are pruned in spring to about two or three buds above strong stems. (rhs.org.uk) For Hydrangea arborescens, gardeners often use a similar spring cutback, removing dead wood and shortening stems to encourage sturdy fresh growth. The Royal Horticultural Society groups it with the hydrangeas that flower more prolifically after annual pruning to a branch framework, which is why it is included in the “prune now” advice. (rhs.org.uk) The warning is just as important as the tip. Hydrangea macrophylla, the mophead and lacecap group found in many gardens, should not be hard-pruned like paniculata or arborescens in April, because their flower buds are tied to older stems and heavy cutting can remove the summer display. (rhs.org.uk) For those mophead and lacecap types, the Royal Horticultural Society recommends a lighter approach in mid-spring: remove dead flowerheads to the first strong pair of buds and cut out one or two of the oldest stems at the base to encourage replacement growth. That is very different from the harder spring pruning used on the two hydrangea types highlighted in the recent articles. (rhs.org.uk) There is also a limit to how aggressive you should be with older shrubs. The Royal Horticultural Society says that if a hydrangea has become overgrown, drastic renovation can reduce flowering, so major size reduction is best staggered over three or four years rather than done all at once. (rhs.org.uk) In practical terms, gardeners standing in front of a hydrangea this week should ask one question before picking up the secateurs: does this plant flower on new wood or old wood? If it is Hydrangea paniculata or Hydrangea arborescens, early spring pruning can help produce stronger stems and more blooms; if it is a mophead or lacecap, a gentler cut is the safer move. (rhs.org.uk) The recent *Express* and *Mirror* pieces are essentially amplifying that Royal Horticultural Society distinction for a wider audience. The advice sounds simple, but the payoff is concrete: cut the right hydrangeas now, and you improve the odds of a fuller, healthier flowering display later in summer. (rhs.org.uk)