Late winter or early spring is best while jt is dormant.
To shape it, start with dead/diseased wood: Cut any obviously dead, broken, or crossing branches back to the base or a healthy junction.
– Thin, don’t just shear: Remove some older stems at the ground to open up airflow and light inside the plant — this keeps it healthy and full.
– Maintain its natural form: Aim for a rounded or slightly oval shape, but avoid flat-topping or heavy hedging — burning bushes look best with a softer outline.
– Limit heavy reduction: Don’t take more than 1/3 of the plant’s height/volume in one year if it’s overgrown. If you need to reduce drastically, spread it over 2–3 years.
followthebarnacle
Have you considered shaping it into a wood chipper?
Moist-You-7511
flush cut and herbicide to stump
Just_Mastodon_9177
I just used a hedge trimmer and trimmed mine up last weekend in minnesota.
MathematicianOne6902
You can trim them anytime, but if you trim the
Now you won’t see the red/burning color the plant is known for.
You can use a pair of nice hedge trimmers. Gas powered. As for shaping, that’s up to you and what other plant shapes you have. Square of round
Slow-Priority-884
Burning bush and the oxeye daisy, one two punch there.
yunoscreaming
I did mine into a heart shape , it’s awesome in the fall. ❤️
jinalberta
Nothing should encroach on the sidewalk like that. There certainly is a bylaw about that. Good luck people in wheelchairs
Suspicious-Fix-2363
Do not use a hedge trimmer on a burning bush in Colorado. These are extremely slow growing here and not a problem in our arid climate like other areas of the country. Do your pruning in December, January, or February when the plant is completely dormant. Go after the larger,thicker canes as close to the base of the plant as you can. After removing those old canes you can start drop crotch pruning on other branches inside the plant at opposite buds. Don’t get to aggressive.
Quiet-Aardvark-8
I have a couple here along the Front Range and trim them in the winter when the plants are dormant and there’s not much else happening in the yard. It is strange for me to see the online hate for them (as invasives?). Mine are well-established (and therefore drought-hardy?) and a lovely part of my suburban yard.
American_gunner21
Fall/winter- give it a good hard dormant pruning
The26thtime
it’s a burning bush, cut the top flat and trim the sides in a globe shape. you can trim it right now. you can also be very aggressive with the trimming.
Smallwhitedog
You should not prune any bush after July 4. Wait until late winter or early spring. Cut any dead branches, then cut a few of the largest branches at the ground level. This will open up the center of the plant and allow light in. Then give it a trim for shape–about 25% is good. Don’t do much more than that. If you just shear the top off, you’ll have a bunch of dead spots and thick trunks. This is my dad’s favorite pruning method, and his shrubs look awful! Great dad, terrible pruner!
In future years, your goal should be to remove branches that are thicker than your thumb at ground level to keep the plant full and bushy. Do this along with your annual prune.
(For anyone reading this on the east coast or Midwest, cut this invasive shrub down! It’s fine in the desert.)
youchuckedup
You can shape it into anything at any time it will recover.
peanutbuttertesticle
It’s invasive and an ecological dead zone. Trash that sucker.
theegg87
I would do it after the leaves come off this year or late winter. I would take it back two feet further than where you want it to flower from a spacing standpoint next year. I think you’ll need a regular hedge trimmer and a pole hedge trimmer with a flexible head to shape the top. I got frustrated cutting mine back this year and just ended up using a chainsaw lol. Came back looking great this season.
GMEINTSHP
Cut that fckr back. Imagine if you were a wheelchair user.
derrickito162
Just cut it back now, youre a jerk for letting it cover the sidewalk like that
Skidpalace
In my neighborhood, that bush would be cut flush with the edge of the sidewalk. By me. With zero fucks given.
I’m not walking in the street because of some asshat’s overgrown neglected bush encroaching on public property.
DITPiranha
Have you considered replacing it with a singing bush? You can usually find one next to an invisible man…
Prize_Ant_1141
I’m surprised the city doesn’t make u keep it trimmed away from the sidewalk
KreeH
Fall, use a hedge trimmer. I have a 18V Ryobi that would make quick work of that bush.
22 Comments
Late winter or early spring is best while jt is dormant.
To shape it, start with dead/diseased wood: Cut any obviously dead, broken, or crossing branches back to the base or a healthy junction.
– Thin, don’t just shear: Remove some older stems at the ground to open up airflow and light inside the plant — this keeps it healthy and full.
– Maintain its natural form: Aim for a rounded or slightly oval shape, but avoid flat-topping or heavy hedging — burning bushes look best with a softer outline.
– Limit heavy reduction: Don’t take more than 1/3 of the plant’s height/volume in one year if it’s overgrown. If you need to reduce drastically, spread it over 2–3 years.
Have you considered shaping it into a wood chipper?
flush cut and herbicide to stump
I just used a hedge trimmer and trimmed mine up last weekend in minnesota.
You can trim them anytime, but if you trim the
Now you won’t see the red/burning color the plant is known for.
You can use a pair of nice hedge trimmers. Gas powered. As for shaping, that’s up to you and what other plant shapes you have. Square of round
Burning bush and the oxeye daisy, one two punch there.
I did mine into a heart shape , it’s awesome in the fall. ❤️
Nothing should encroach on the sidewalk like that. There certainly is a bylaw about that. Good luck people in wheelchairs
Do not use a hedge trimmer on a burning bush in Colorado. These are extremely slow growing here and not a problem in our arid climate like other areas of the country. Do your pruning in December, January, or February when the plant is completely dormant. Go after the larger,thicker canes as close to the base of the plant as you can. After removing those old canes you can start drop crotch pruning on other branches inside the plant at opposite buds. Don’t get to aggressive.
I have a couple here along the Front Range and trim them in the winter when the plants are dormant and there’s not much else happening in the yard. It is strange for me to see the online hate for them (as invasives?). Mine are well-established (and therefore drought-hardy?) and a lovely part of my suburban yard.
Fall/winter- give it a good hard dormant pruning
it’s a burning bush, cut the top flat and trim the sides in a globe shape. you can trim it right now. you can also be very aggressive with the trimming.
You should not prune any bush after July 4. Wait until late winter or early spring. Cut any dead branches, then cut a few of the largest branches at the ground level. This will open up the center of the plant and allow light in. Then give it a trim for shape–about 25% is good. Don’t do much more than that. If you just shear the top off, you’ll have a bunch of dead spots and thick trunks. This is my dad’s favorite pruning method, and his shrubs look awful! Great dad, terrible pruner!
In future years, your goal should be to remove branches that are thicker than your thumb at ground level to keep the plant full and bushy. Do this along with your annual prune.
(For anyone reading this on the east coast or Midwest, cut this invasive shrub down! It’s fine in the desert.)
You can shape it into anything at any time it will recover.
It’s invasive and an ecological dead zone. Trash that sucker.
I would do it after the leaves come off this year or late winter. I would take it back two feet further than where you want it to flower from a spacing standpoint next year. I think you’ll need a regular hedge trimmer and a pole hedge trimmer with a flexible head to shape the top. I got frustrated cutting mine back this year and just ended up using a chainsaw lol. Came back looking great this season.
Cut that fckr back. Imagine if you were a wheelchair user.
Just cut it back now, youre a jerk for letting it cover the sidewalk like that
In my neighborhood, that bush would be cut flush with the edge of the sidewalk. By me. With zero fucks given.
I’m not walking in the street because of some asshat’s overgrown neglected bush encroaching on public property.
Have you considered replacing it with a singing bush? You can usually find one next to an invisible man…
I’m surprised the city doesn’t make u keep it trimmed away from the sidewalk
Fall, use a hedge trimmer. I have a 18V Ryobi that would make quick work of that bush.