Pruning a Shrub (big one)

We have a shrub which has overtaken a corner of the garden.

My question for any gardening gurus is - how far can we prune this back without killing it.

Hopefully these images will give an idea of the beast we are dealing with. It is about 6 ft tall.
View attachment 1490

View attachment 1491

View attachment 1492

Thanks for any input

 

I think your gonna need a positive ID before any useful advice can be given.

A close up of the leaves and new shoots/buds might help.

 

Thanks Pete.

I had some really good shots, but had to reduce quality to upload the images.

I'll take some close ups tomorrow in daylight.

 

close up of the leaf would be great ...might be Eleagnus ebbingii

 

Plantman
I think you are right, this looks like the same plant
http://www.hedging.co.uk/acatalog/product_10180.html

I'll confirm with better pics tomorrow.

 

Here are some more pics.
The first shows the leaves - which I think confirm it is an Eleagnus Ebbingii.

The others show a closer look at the branches behind the foliage. They are quite long - about 3-4 ft, and are quite spartan (I guess due to lack of sunlight) but there are some shoots at various points on most of them.

I am wondering how vigorously these might spread if the front foliage was pruned back, and how hard I could prune them without killing the plant.

View attachment 1493

View attachment 1494

View attachment 1495

 

dont think i was right ...to wavy an edge for elagnus I think....looks familiar maybe Osmanthus of some kind????? ill have another go when I get a min.

 

I'm sort of thinking Olearia.
Macradonta perhaps?

 

I am with Pete on this O. macrodonta
Are the underside of the leaves silver tinted and slightly fury?
Does it flower in early summer with mop heads of daisy like flowers?

Rock

 

My wife thinks it's this one (from the flowers)

http://www.habitas.org.uk/gardenflora/images/olearia_macrodonta.jpg

 

Well its not something I have grown, so I would not like to comment on how hard you can cut it back.

Personally, something as good looking as this I would be very reluctant to cut, but I do know that things can get too big for their allotted space, and sometimes there is no option

 

I think its Osmathus hetephyllus although the leaves are maybe a bit big? if it is will tolerate fairly hard prune, but a plant that big should be done in stages, go fairly hard back but only one side (or one third) repeat over coming years untll its in shape, then trim yearly to keep in check. (if it is an unusually spiky elagnus ebbingii the same applies.

 

yes to both questions

 

yeah Olearea not familiar with that variety, although have sen it around I think....thanks for the thread pewe that looks like a pretty useful evergreen. I wouldnt be surprised if the pruning advice I gave above still stands, but obviosly Im less confident not really knowing the plant