When to prune ?

I have a very large overgrown bush in the garden and im not sure what it is - but wondered when would it be best to prune it as its killing off the plants either side!

It came with the house so its not something i planted myself but ive been here 7 years and it was just as big then. It was last pruned about 4 years ago when we had the decking put down and the gardener did it for me but not been touched since then.

Its not evergreen and has now started to get green leaves on the outside branches but is still all brown (no leaves) inside the bush. It does get little white flowers on, but cant remember for the life of me now whether this happens in spring or summer!

Any idea's ?

 

It looks like it could be privet. It is mostly evergreen but loses it's leaves in cold winters.
If it is, it can be pruned very hard and now is as good a time as any.
However, I would wait to see what others think it is before getting out the shears.

 

Thanks for your reply.

Have just googled some picture on privet and i guess it could be but all the pictures i looked at were different as there are so many different types.

Its definately not evergreen though as its lost all of its leaves every winter in the 7 years ive lived here. It just bare brown branches/twigs.

 

Does it flower and if so what colour and when?

First couple of piccies might be Escallonia, but the last few don't look much like that ...

 

Yes it flowers - small white flowers that generally do not last more than a couple of weeks maybe then it goes back to being all green again.

Cant remember for the life of me what month it flowers, but the more I think about it, the more I am sure it flowers before I have any hanging baskets out - if that helps ?

Looked at the Escallonia pictures and not sure its that either though :(

I will charge the camera back up and see if I can get any more photos of the leaves maybe.

 

More photos of the leaves .....

(excuse the dirty fingernails - been planting !)

 

Nice, good quality photographs ... but I don't recognise it :p

 

I think it looks like Bridal wreath to me-a particularly fine plant and one-personally ( because it is a favourite of mine) would move the plants around it, it will be in foliage until october.-but if it is bridal wreath, and I would wait for a second on it, then you can prune it now and it will be in fine condition by the end of summer.


You have a beautiful plant there in good health.

 

I'm thinking a symphoricarpos, but I could be wrong. After the flowers does it have any berries?

From the photos, I would prune it to a round ball type shape, but only after it flowers, as if it flowers early on in the season it generally flowers on stems produced the previous year. If you want to be more drastic, I would say that it would more than likely recover from a harder prune. Especially if you give it lots of tlc.

Hope this Helps!

 

Not sure about Bridal wreath - I think it would be more "arching" than the first picture (first batch) particularly if it hasn't been cut for a few years. Mine is in flower already ... dunno how that compares to Warwickshire?

 

I have loads of them I use them as an informal hedging plant. Mine are about to flower-maybe another week.

It definitely looks like bridal wreath to me, and seems to fit the description.


I am only starting to learn to id plants so I of course would bow to better knowledge.




I still think its bridal wreath though.

 

Have looked at some more pictures on google and I dont think its symphoricarpos as it doesnt have the berry things on it.

Bridal Wreath - a lot of the pictures look like it when its in flower, but then some pictures ive found look completely different on the leaves.

Any chance of a photo of yours Lollipop so I can look at the leaves ?

 

Yeah give me a minute-just sent me lad to the shop for batteries for camera.

 

Is he getting a battery re-charger too then? !!

 

Fun and games trying to take a clear pic of bridal wreath on a windy day but here goes.

Yours has a slightly differently serrated leaf tip, so that's why I am not 101% sure