Serving Southport, NC and surrounding Brunswick County

Mon to Sat, 7 am to 6:30 pm  |  (910) 946-5554

NextGen Landscaping L.L.C.

Free quote

Shrub trimming and pruning

Shrub Trimming & Pruning Guide for Southport and Brunswick County

When to trim every common shrub, tree and palm in local yards, from azaleas and crape myrtles to privet hedges and sabal palms. Based on the Brunswick County Extension pruning calendar for coastal Carolina.

Find your plant ↓
Get a free trimming quote

Start here

The 6 pruning rules for coastal Carolina

Dead, damaged or diseased branchesRemove them any time of year.
Spring bloomersPrune right after they flower, and finish by July 10.
Summer bloomersPrune in late winter while dormant.
September and OctoberDo not prune. New growth will not harden off before frost.
The one-third ruleNever remove more than a third of a shrub in one year.
PalmsOnly remove fronds that are fully brown. No hurricane cuts.

Plant finder

When to prune each plant

Tap a group to narrow it down, or scroll through every plant common in Brunswick County yards.

Spring bloomer

Azaleas

When to pruneRight after flowering, by July 10

Light trims only (12 in or less). Pruning in early spring or fall cuts off next year’s blooms. Badly overgrown azaleas can take a hard cut in February.

Japonica and sasanqua

Camellias

When to pruneAfter flowering, by mid-July

Shape any time after the blooms drop, but stop by mid-July so next year’s buds can form.

Spring-flowering shrubs

Loropetalum, spirea, forsythia, quince, weigela

When to pruneRight after flowering, by July 10

Cut the oldest stems near the ground to keep the shrub young and full.

Summer bloomer

Gardenias

When to pruneRight after bloom, by mid-August

Trim as soon as the flowers fade so you do not lose next year’s buds.

Pink or blue flowers

Bigleaf hydrangeas

When to pruneWhile flowering or right after

These bloom on old wood, so late pruning removes next year’s flowers. White, August-blooming hydrangeas are pruned in late winter instead.

Multi-trunk tree

Crape myrtles

When to pruneLate January to February

Remove crossing, rubbing and inward branches. Never top them (“crape murder”). It weakens branches and delays blooms.

Summer-flowering shrubs

Rose of Sharon, butterfly bush, elaeagnus

When to pruneLate January to February

Shape while dormant so they put on plenty of new growth and flowers in summer.

Privet (ligustrum), boxwood, holly, red tip photinia, cleyera, osmanthus, viburnum, wax myrtle

Hedges and broadleaf evergreens

When to pruneLate February for size, late April to August for shaping

Cut back overgrown shrubs in late February, removing no more than a third of the plant each year. Keep the top of a hedge narrower than the bottom so light reaches the lower branches.

Fast-growing evergreen

Abelia

When to pruneEarly March

Shape to the form you want before spring growth takes off.

Berry-producing shrubs

Hollies and pyracantha

When to pruneWhile in flower (late March to April)

Pruning while they flower lets you see where the berries will be, so you do not cut them all off.

Conifers

Junipers, arborvitae, Leyland cypress

When to pruneLate winter, or late June through July

Only cut into green growth. Brown, bare wood on conifers will not grow back.

Heavenly bamboo

Nandina

When to pruneFebruary to early March

Cut the tallest, leggiest canes at the ground. New shoots fill in from the base.

Including Knock Out roses

Roses

When to pruneMid-February, then deadhead in summer

Heavy prune around Valentine’s Day to 4 or 5 strong canes. Deadhead through summer and trim long canes in late fall to prevent wind damage.

Liriope, mondo grass, pampas grass

Ornamental grasses and liriope

When to pruneLate January to February

Cut off last year’s growth before the new spring growth comes up.

Phlox, coneflower, black-eyed Susan, shasta daisy

Perennials

When to pruneMay to June

Remove spent flowers to encourage another round of blooms.

Sabal (cabbage) palms and other palms

Palms

When to pruneAny time a frond turns fully brown

Remove only completely brown fronds. Never do a “hurricane cut.” Stripping green fronds weakens the palm and makes it more likely to snap in a storm.

Oak, hickory, sycamore, black gum

Shade trees

When to pruneDecember to January

Prune while dormant and remove storm-damaged limbs. Maples, dogwoods and birches bleed sap, so do heavy cuts in the coldest weather and only light trims in summer.

Cherry, Bradford pear, serviceberry

Flowering trees

When to pruneRight after blooming, only as needed

Light shaping after the flowers drop. Dogwoods look best left in their natural shape.

Year at a glance

Pruning calendar for Brunswick County

  1. December to JanuaryShade trees while dormant. Heavy cuts on maples, dogwoods and birches.
  2. Late January to FebruaryCrape myrtles, rose of Sharon, butterfly bush, ornamental grasses and liriope. Overgrown hedges in late February. Roses around Valentine’s Day.
  3. February to early MarchNandina, abelia (early March) and roses before new growth.
  4. Late March to AprilAzaleas and spring bloomers right after flowering. Hollies and pyracantha while in flower. Cut out any cold damage.
  5. Late April to MayShape hedges. Keep the top narrower than the bottom.
  6. May to JuneGardenias and bigleaf hydrangeas after bloom. Deadhead perennials. Start conifers in late June.
  7. July to AugustHedges as needed, conifers through July, deadhead roses, light trims on maples and dogwoods. Deadlines: spring bloomers by July 10, camellias by mid-July, gardenias by mid-August.
  8. September to OctoberStop pruning. Only remove dead wood.
  9. November to DecemberTrim long rose canes before winter winds and clear out underbrush.

Let us handle the trimming

  • Monthly trimming: shrub and hedge trimming is included once a month in our Gold plan, or as your monthly extra in Silver.
  • One-time trims: overgrown hedges, shaping and cutbacks, quoted free before we start.
  • Pair it with: bed cleanouts, and fresh mulch or pine straw to finish the beds.
  • We time every cut to the plant, so you do not lose next year’s flowers.
Get a free trimming quote
See lawn plans

General guidance based on the Brunswick County Extension pruning calendar and their crape myrtle pruning advice, with palm guidance from University of Florida Extension. Timing can shift with the weather each year.