1. Guidelines for Summer Pruning of Native S. California Plants
Most pruning of CA native plants is done in fall or winter, when plants are dormant and weather is cooler. But
there are certain types of pruning – and certain plants – that are best pruned in summer or early fall. A few basic
rules for prudent summer pruning are:
 If possible, choose a cool, dry day. Pruning in the late afternoon also reduces stress on plant;
 Plan ahead; know which branches you will prune before you cut. 90% of pruning is planning;
 Do not prune more than the recommended amount. When in doubt, stop – you can always come back
and prune more if need;
 Always use sharp, clean tools; use the right tool for the job (large branches require heavy loppers/saw)
Key pruning definitions
Meristem (bud) – plant growth centers in shoots and roots
Terminal bud (shoot meristem)
 Grows at the tip of a shoot; causes the shoot to grow longer
 Produces hormones that move downward along the shoot, inhibiting the growth of other buds on that shoot.
Lateral buds (lateral meristem)
 Grow along the sides of a shoot; produce the growth that makes a plant ‘bushy’.
 Remain dormant until the shoot has grown long enough to diminish the influence of hormones produced by
the terminal bud or until the terminal bud is pruned off – then they begin their growth.
 Removing lateral buds redirects growth to the terminal bud; the shoot will lengthen & tend to grow upward.
Thinning – selective removal of entire branches
 Removes unwanted branches
 Makes plant less dense
 Purpose: health & aesthetic
 Better plant heath:
 remove crossing and old branches
 Improve circulation
 Aesthetics:
 ‘train’ plant to shape
 Expose branch structure
Heading (including tip-pruning & shearing) - shortening branches by cutting them to a good bud or lateral branch.
 Increases branching
 Makes plant fuller
 Purpose: mostly aesthetic
 Better/denser shape
 More blooms
Tip-pruning (pinching) involves removal of the growing tip; stimulates the growth of lateral branches
Shearing (hedging)
 A form of heading that makes no attempt to cut back to a bud.
 Because plants chosen for shearing typically have many lateral buds close together, you'll usually end up
cutting near a bud.
 Shearing stimulates many buds to produce new growth - you'll be repeating the job regularly

2. Type of pruning
Time of year
Removing dead,
diseased or crossed
branches; safety
Any time
needed for
health & safety;
Specific plants/plant groups
Specific Pruning
Recommendations/Notes
All plants
Take care to sterilize tools after
pruning diseased branches; in
general, prune as little as
possible
Gambelia (Galvezia) speciosa
(Island Snapdragon)
Lightly tip-prune young shoots
to promote fuller shape
Tip prune to shape, encourage
full growth
Lepechinia fragrans (Fragrant
Pitcher Sage)
Pinch tips to promote full
growth
Mint Family (Monardella
species; Clinopodium/Satureja –
Yerba Buena; )
Pinch tips to promote full
growth
* Pinus species (CA native pines)
Remove 1/3 to ½ of the new
growth (the ‘candle’) to
promote bushy growth; remove
entire candle to eliminate
elongation
Ceanothus species
Selectively prune branches back
to trunk for shaping.
Epilobium canum (CA Fuschia)
Tip-pruning (pinching)
to promote bushy, full
growth
Pruning to shape or
train: particularly
important for young
plants
During active
growth season
After blooming
season
Many flowering perennials
Ceanothus species
Light Pruning/
’Deadheading’: remove
old flowering
heads/stalks
Remove spent seed heads &
flowering stalks back to first set
of healthy leaves; save seeds or
scatter for reseeding & bird food
To improve appearance, plant
vigor
Diplacus/Mimulus
(Monkeyflowers)
As plants finish
flowering
As above; promotes second
bloom
Gambelia (Galvezia) speciosa
(Island Snapdragon)
Deadhead as flowers fade;
promotes prolonged bloom.
Penstemons
As above; promotes second
bloom
* Philadelphus lewisii (Mock
Orange)
Deadhead as flowers fade;
promotes prolonged bloom.
Succulent plants (Agave,
Dudleya)
Verbena lilacina
Deadhead to improve
appearance, or later to provide
seed for birds
As above; nearly year-round
blooms

3. Type of pruning
Time of year
Specific plants/plant groups
* Carpenteria californica (Bush
anemone)
Heteromeles arbutifolia (Toyon)
* Justicia californica (Chuparose)
Thinning: moderate,
selective pruning
(removing at least 1/3
of growth) to promote
fuller growth & control
size**
Keckiella cordifolia
After blooming
in late summer
* Philadelphus lewisii (Mock
Orange)
Prunus ilicifolia (Holly-leaf
Cherry)
Salvia species - * Salvia
clevelandii (Cleveland Sage,
including ‘Winifred Gilman’);
faster-growing shrubby hybrids
of S. clevelandii (‘Allen
Chickering’; ‘Aromas’; ‘Ponzo
Blue’)
Specific Pruning
Recommendations/Notes
Cut stems to 1/3 to ½ of length
following blooming
Selectively prune to open
foliage; remove suckers
Selectively remove older
branches to promote next year’s
blooms
Can cut back stems to 6 in. stubs
in summer
Selectively remove old canes
Selectively prune to open foliage
Remove outer ¼ to 1/3 of
branch length yearly, starting
with young plants
Cercocarpus species (Mountain
Mahogany)
Hedge-shearing as
needed. Most of these
plants do not require
hedge-shearing, but will
tolerate light to
moderate shearing
Yearly shearing or
mowing (regularly
removing much of new
growth)
As needed
during the
growth season,
or (better) once
a year after
plant has
completed
yearly growth,
flowering and
fruiting
(fall/winter).
When plant is
dormant or has
completed
flowering &
growth, (late
summer
through fall)
Can be hedge-sheared;
* Garrya (Silk Tassel)
Can be hedge-sheared;
* Myrica californica (Wax
Myrtle)
Prunus ilicifolia (Holly-leaf
Cherry)
* Rhamnus species (Coffee- &
Red-berry)
Rhus ovata (Sugar Bush)
Rhus integrifolia
(Lemonadeberry)
* Umbellelaria californica (CA
Bay)
Achillea millefolium (Yarrow)
Can be hedge-sheared;
Can be moderately hedgesheared;
Can be hedge-sheared after
fruiting
Can be very lightly hedgesheared;
Can be hedge-sheared;
Can be hedge-sheared;
Mow or cut back to 2-4 inches
Anemopsis californica (Yerba
Mansa)
Mow or cut back to 2-4 inches
Artemisia douglasiana
(Mugwort)
* Calycanthus occidentalis
(Spicebush)
Cut back spent stems nearly to
the ground
Can be sheared to shape, even
hedge-sheared
Encelia californica (CA Encelia)
Cut back to 4-6 in. each fall for
shrubby full shape

4. Type of pruning
Time of year
Specific plants/plant groups
Grindelia species (Gumplant)
Yearly shearing or
mowing (regularly
removing much of new
growth)
When plant is
dormant or has
completed
flowering &
growth, (late
summer
through fall)
Heterotheca (perennial)
Iris douglasii (and cultivars)
Lepechinia calycona ‘Rocky
Point’
Mimulus cardinalis (Scarlet
Monkeyflower)
Specific Pruning
Recommendations/Notes
Cut back flowering stems or
shear almost to the ground
Shear with scissors or weed
trimmer
Old leaves can be cut to several
inches yearly (never pull off)
Cut back to 4-6 inch stubs
Cut back stems to 1-2 inches
Salvia spathacea (Hummingbird
Sage)
Cut back spent flowering stalks
to the ground yearly once
established
Sisyrinchium bellum (Blue-eyed
Grass); also * S. californicum
(Yellow-eyed grass)
Cut back to ground when
dormant for tidier appearance
Solanum species (Nightshades)
Venegasia carpesioides (Canyon
Sunflower)
Comarostaphylis diversifolia
(Summer Holly)
* Cornus species
Severe pruning to
rejuvenate plants –
done only occasionally,
as needed
Heteromeles arbutifolia (Toyon)
Summer/early
fall – after the
bloom period
* Philadelphus lewisii (Mock
Orange)
Ribes viburnifolium (Catalina
perfume)
Rosa californica (CA Wild Rose)
Removing dead leaves
& rejuvenating grasses
& grass-like plants
Occasional
mowing during
growth season
A few native grasses & sedges
(Bouteloua; Carex; Distichlis;
Leymus triticoides)
Cut flowering stalks to base of
plant
Cut back to 4-6 inches yearly to
promote bushy shape,
flowering
Cut back old plant to basal burl
to rejuvenate
Can prune heavily to rejuvenate
as needed
Cut back severely only to
rejuvenate an old, leggy plant;
coppice to produce a low,
mounded shrub
Cut back plants with sparse,
woody foliage to promote dense
new growth; recommended
about every 5 years
Cut old plants back severely
with string trimmer to
rejuvenate
Cut old plants to the ground to
rejuvenate
Cut high (4-6 inches tall) several
times during growing season
* Plant is a California native, but is not native to southwestern Los Angeles county
** Over the long run, pruning to limit size does not work well for most CA native plants