Pruning Mexican orange

When to prune Mexican orange blossom?

Pruning Mexican orange blossom can be carried out just after first flowering (June), or after second flowering in autumn (October).

It may be necessary to cut back old specimens to rejuvenate them. This is usually done in March but bear in mind there will be no flowering that spring.

How to prune a Mexican orange blossom (Choisya ternata) When to prune - Prune immediately after flowering (late spring/early summer) to avoid removing next season’s flower buds. - Avoid major pruning in autumn or during frost risk, as it can stimulate tender growth that may be damaged. Tools and preparation - Use clean, sharp bypass secateurs for small stems, loppers for thicker branches and a pruning saw for old wood. - Disinfect tools between cuts if shrub shows signs of disease. - Wear gloves and eye protection. Routine pruning (annual shaping and maintenance) - Remove dead, damaged or diseased wood first. - Thin out crossing or inward-growing branches to open centre and improve airflow. Cut back to a healthy outward-facing bud or to the main stem. - Lightly trim outer growth to maintain shape; avoid cutting too far into older, woody stems. Aim to remove no more than one-third of total growth in a single session. - For hedging or formal shapes, carry out a light trim after flowering and a light tidy later in summer if needed. Rejuvenation pruning (when shrub has become leggy) - If Choisya has grown woody and sparse, rejuvenate by cutting up to one-third of oldest stems down to near ground level (or to a strong basal shoot). Do this immediately after flowering to allow vigorous new shoots to develop during growing season. - For very neglected specimens, you can coppice in stages over two seasons rather than cutting everything at once to reduce shock. Aftercare - Apply a layer of mulch around root zone to conserve moisture and suppress weeds, avoiding direct contact with stems. - Feed with a balanced fertiliser in spring to support new growth and flowering. - Water during dry spells while new shoots establish. Other tips - Pruning cuts should be made cleanly, close to bud or main stem, without leaving stubs. - Compost healthy prunings; burn or dispose of material showing disease. - Regular light pruning gives best combination of neat shape and abundant flowering. Result - Correct pruning keeps Choisya compact, encourages fresh flowering shoots and prolongs shrub health and vigour.

Main aim is to aerate the clump, remove unsightly shoots and cut away at the base the oldest branches, dead or damaged by frost.

• 1st year: With a clean, sharp pruning shear, make a light pruning to encourage the bush to ramify. To do this, cut one third of each shoot;
• 2nd year: After first flowering, carry out formative pruning by cutting one third of each year’s shoots;
• 3rd year: After the second flowering this time, carry out maintenance and flowering pruning by slightly aerating the clump and again reducing one third of the year’s shoots;
• Then, prune lightly with a shear to remove all faded flowers and to maintain a compact, dome-shaped habit. If necessary, remove dead or damaged branches completely with the pruning shear. You may also cut it back harder so it keeps reasonable proportions or to regenerate the bush. If you see a new shoot on a branch, cut just above it to encourage its development. Use a sturdier tool if needed: loppers or a pruning saw.

Cutting back may be necessary on Mexican orange bush when old, unbalanced, damaged and never maintained, or when it is taking up too much space. This then involves removing all old shoots, as well as dead or bruised branches. To do so, shorten all branches to 40–50cm from soil. Choisya can regrow even after severe pruning and this cutting-back will stimulate the plant so that it produces, in just a few weeks, many vigorous young shoots. This pruning may seem drastic but latent buds located below the cuts will wake up and develop.