Q. My oleander shrubs are overgrown. How severely can they be pruned?
A. Oleanders flower on current season’s growth. So, if you prune just before new growth occurs, you’ll still get flowers. However, severe pruning (removing 1/3 or more of the plant), may result in the oleander not flowering for several years. Pruning severely causes a plant to put all of its energy into recovering the lost growth at the expense of producing flowers. But sometimes the need to severely reduce a plant’s size overrides the need for flowers. Oleanders can grow to a height of 10 to 20 feet with a spread of 10 to 15 feet.
Q. I have a holly bush that has grown too large. Will it recover if I prune it way back? I also have large azaleas that I trimmed back last year but they’re overgrown again. Can I trim them back severely again and have them recover?
A. Hollies and azaleas generally respond well to severe pruning. And they probably will recover. But, as you’ve experienced with your azaleas, plants are designed to grow to a certain height. When you prune to reduce their height, they will regain the growth, again and again. So, you may have a regular job on your hands in pruning these plants every year or so to maintain the desired height. To prune for the sake of reducing the height may result in fewer berries in the case of the holly, if it’s a female plant, and fewer flowers in the case of the azaleas. Eventually, you may decide to remove these overgrown plants and replace them with smaller maturing ones.
Consider replacing junipers that routinely grow over sidewalk instead of pruning to force them to fit. Credit: Larry Williams
The best time to severely prune, sometimes referred to as hard pruning (removing 1/3 or more of the height), is late winter (late February to mid-March), just before new growth occurs. When a plant becomes too large for its location, the problem goes back to planting the wrong plant in the wrong place. The plant is only doing what it is genetically designed to do. It’s a good idea to find out how large a plant grows (both in height and spread) before planting it. To plant a plant that is designed to grow ten feet in height where you need a plant that only grows three feet in height can result in having to routinely prune to “force it to fit.” Sever pruning is usually only a temporary fix as the plant still has the same root system it had prior to pruning. As a result, it usually will regrow to become in balance with its root system. Some shrubs such as boxwoods, junipers and arborvitae do not respond well to severe pruning.
Firebush is often affected by freezing temperatures, but this winter dieback helps protect the plant, which typically resprouts in the spring. Photo by Molly Jameson.
Indian wood oats hold flattened seed heads through winter, adding movement and warm tan tones to the landscape. Photo by Molly Jameson.
As we move through the coldest part of the year, you’ve probably noticed many perennial landscape plants turning brown. Your first instinct might be, yuck – where are my pruners? Those crispy leaves, spent flower stalks, and dark masses look like they need to go.
But take another look.
Consider the protection that foliage provides to the plant’s crown and buds underneath. Consider the habitat it offers overwintering wildlife. And take a closer look at the low-angled sunlight beaming through the leaves – you just might notice shades of amber, cinnamon, terra cotta, burgundy, chocolate, and gold.
Winter landscapes in north Florida don’t look like they do in spring, and they’re not supposed to. Instead of fresh growth and bright blooms, we get texture and layers of seasonal color. Dormant grasses catch the light differently than growing ones. Seed heads sway and rattle in the breeze. Large leaves collapse inward and angle downward, quietly signaling the change underway.
Brown as Built-In Frost Protection
Freeze-damaged banana leaves turn brown and collapse after cold weather, helping protect the trunk and crown when left in place. Photo by Molly Jameson.
Beyond aesthetics, leaving dead or dormant foliage in place serves a very practical purpose – it helps protect plants from cold damage.
When temperatures dip into the 20s – which we experience a few nights most years – dead leaves act like a blanket. They insulate the plant crown, shield tender growing points, and reduce rapid temperature swings. This is especially important for semi cold-hardy plants and anything with a crown close to the soil surface.
Plants like ornamental ginger, firebush, beautyberry, bananas, and many tropical-looking perennials often look rough after a hard freeze. While it’s tempting to clean everything up immediately, the dead leaves are actually helping buffer plants against future cold snaps. Removing them too soon can expose sensitive new growth to damage if we get another freeze – which, in January or February, is always a possibility. In USDA Hardiness Zone 9a, it’s not unusual for the last frost to occur as late as mid-March.
Ornamental gingers naturally die back in winter, and leaving the dried foliage in place helps protect underground rhizomes until new growth begins in spring. Photo by Molly Jameson.
Delaying pruning until spring gives plants the best chance to come back strong. It also makes cleanup easier. Instead of guessing where to cut, you’ll be able to trim back to healthy, actively growing stems. Many plants surprise us by pushing new growth from what looked like dead tissue just weeks earlier.
A Few Important Exceptions
Of course, there are times when brown shouldn’t be ignored. Plants that show signs of disease, active pests, or rot may need to be cut back sooner to prevent problems from spreading.
It should also be acknowledged that some plants simply struggle year after year, no matter how patient we are. In those cases, winter can be a useful time to employ the Right Plant, Right Place Florida-Friendly Landscaping principle. If a plant routinely suffers from cold damage, disease, or stress, it may be worth considering a tougher alternative – ideally one better suited to our climate. Native plants and other well-adapted species tend to handle unpredictable weather far better than plants already living on the edge of their comfort zone.
Cold-sensitive shrubs like Jatropha integerrima can show dramatic leaf browning after a freeze. Photo by Molly Jameson.
The key, of course, is intention. Leave the brown when it’s protecting the plant, but don’t feel obligated to keep it when it’s causing problems.
A Shift in Mindset
Learning to appreciate winter brown requires a small mindset shift. It asks us to value patience over order and function over perfection. It reminds us that gardens don’t need to look like the front of a garden magazine year-round to be healthy or have beauty.
So, the next time you’re tempted to declare your landscape “ugly” in winter, take another look. Notice the textures, the range of color, and the protection happening beneath that layer of brown.
After all, brown is a color too – and in winter, it’s doing exactly what it’s supposed to do.
Growing up in Tennessee, my backyard was a large expanse of woods right off a concrete patio. In areas that received sunshine, one of my favorite plants was a groundcover called thrift, Phlox subulata. Each spring, pink flowers brightened the slope as the groundcover spread amongst the rocks. Luckily, I was able to bring a piece to Florida to add to my landscape over 24 years ago.
Creeping phlox in a home landscape. Photo by Beth Bolles, UF IFAS Extension Escambia County.
Thrift or creeping phlox is a low maintenance groundcover that only grows about 6 inches tall. Plants grow well in moist, rich soil, but also in poorer soils or sand. Planting sites should not hold water to prevent rotting roots. Phlox does need sunlight for best spring blooms but the Florida summer sun can be too intense. Consider using in areas where sunlight is plentiful in the spring but tree canopies may offer shade in the summer heat.
This is usually not a groundcover for traffic areas so use stepping stones if you need to move through planted areas. There are cultivars with flowers that are red, white, or lavender but the original pink is very appropriate for the spring season.
If you choose Creeping phlox for your landscape, some neglect is good once plant’s are established. Pick a spot that has good air circulation and water as needed after root’s take hold. Routine overhead watering may lead to some disease in your plants.
Beach sunflower is an attractive coastal plant that is well suited for many landscapes. The native plant can thrive in hot and dry spots where other plants may struggle. Learn more about Beach sunflower, Helianthus debilis, and how to use it in your landscape.
