How to Prune Winter Daphne? A Detailed Guide to Pruning Methods
Winter daphne was originally distributed south of the Yangtze River basin in China and was later introduced to Japan. It is a traditional famous flower of our country, much loved by people and praised as a “superior-grade flower.” So what are the pruning methods for winter daphne?
1. Pruning methods for winter daphne
Usually, before it sprouts, you can cut off those densely growing small branches, leaving a certain amount of space to facilitate ventilation and light penetration. After the flowers fade, while removing the spent flowers, cut off water sprouts, overlapping branches, overly dense branches, crossing branches, and other branches that affect the beauty of the tree shape, ensuring a graceful tree form.
2. Shaping and pruning of young seedlings
For cuttings-grown seedlings of the current year, pinching can begin when the first new shoots and leaves grow to 5-8 cm; usually 2-3 branches are selected for training. When the second flush of branches and leaves grows to about 8 cm, a second pinching can begin; keep 2-3 strong buds on each branch, remove excess weak buds, and cultivate 6-9 secondary branches. Winter daphne can generally sprout branches, grow leaves, and be pinched 3-4 times. Through repeated pinching and bud removal, more thick and strong shoots can be cultivated, expanding the branch crown, and it can usually take shape in 1-2 years.
3. Summer pruning
Summer pruning is generally done in June-July, cutting off part of the new shoots of the current year in batches or cutting off 1/2 of the new shoots, to encourage the lateral buds below the cut to sprout new branches. The new shoots that sprout after summer pruning have not yet stopped growing, so their flower bud differentiation will be later, and therefore the flowering period of winter daphne is extended.
Winter daphne is not only a beautiful flowering plant, but also has multiple economic values: the roots can be used as medicine, with effects such as promoting blood circulation, dispersing blood stasis, and relieving pain; the flowers can be used to extract aromatic oil; and the bark fibers can be used to make paper.