Topic: Viburnum bodnantense 'Dawn' PRUNING

[jennym]

Have a large straggly specimen of Viburnum bodnantense 'Dawn' which is about 8 ft high with longish branches which flower near the tips but have lots of bare patches up to about 5ft. It's not a good shape and seems to have a straggly sort of tendency. But then I haven't really looked after it (not a flower person  ;D)
I've only ever really snipped at it, mostly it's been partially hidden behind other shrubs but is now on show and I'd like to really bring the size down to 4 - 5 ft and encourage better flowering. It's flowering now. I don't mind if it doesn't flower next year.
I've read up, and it most advise that the right time to prune is after flowering, but some say don't prune too much, and some say it will take cutting back hard, and will re-generate.
Has anyone actually got one and done this? Would be grateful for advice both on the cutting back hard and on normal annual pruning.

[ellie2cats]

I'm glad you asked Jennym, I also have a straggly bodnantense 'Dawn' and was wondering what to do about it as mine is also flowering now but in a very half hearted fashion, so I shall looking out for your replies.
Good luck
Ellie

[Lucho]

They can take a hard prune but you're right that you might sacrifice the flowers for a year or two. If you can spread the job over a couple of years I would take out several of the longest/ stragliest branches at ground level to encourage new wood for future flowering. Over two or three years you'd reduce the overall height to a more manageable level. If you do it all in one go it would probably encourage a rash of new growth. Just after flowering is the time to do it. More learned members might be able to provide something more specific.

[jennym]

Thanks for that. Is it right to assume that the general nature of this shrub is to be a bit on the straggly side? Can they be controlled to become a more compact shape? Where, in the past I have had a snip here and there, it's resulted in oddly angled protruding side stems, not really very good looking. If it's going to be always stragglyish and bare nearer the ground, I may put in something of low/medium height, evergreen in front of it to hide bare stems.

[PurpleHeather]

I have two in a mixed hedge along one part of the garden and treat them much like a 'privet hedge' They grow much more slowly than privet of course so do not need the same attention.

They will take a good hard chop down and recover, being all the bushier for it so do not be afraid to take an axe, saw, lopper, shears or even a chain saw to them to get them into shape. Keep to a height of no more than 4 feet.

[hopalong]

It's supposed to be dense, not straggly. You can either take out one in five of the weakest, oldest branches by pruning them right down to the base and leave the rest - this ensures you still get plenty of flowers. Or you can renovate the whole bush by cutting it right down to the base.  New shoots invariably pop up from the base. Flowering will be affected for a year but the bush will look a lot better.