Pruning a Ceanthus Concha

Hi all.

At the beginning of the year I bought a Ceanthus Concha which is an evergreen shrub.

The idea is to grow it up a trellis and sort of keep it close to the fence, so I am now thinking about pruning. I understand that they don't respond well to hard pruning so should I be just cutting back some of the stems right now - or should I wait till next Spring. Obviously I don't want to prevent it from flowering next year.

Any advice appreciated.

Thank you.

 

Hello @Outlander, maybe you mean Ceanothus Concha? This is a shrub that will become quite large, and is not suitable for growing on a trellis. It is best to allow it space all the way round and let it grow without pruning. It makes a lovely statement shrub/small tree and would be great as a centre piece on a lawn

 

hi @Tetters . Yes I did mean Ceanothus apologies for the spelling. Maybe I just need to see what happens to it. It was sold, already climbing a trellis (about three feet high) but perhaps that is just to give it a start. It flowered lovely this year although I understand they only last about five years anyway.

 

That cannot be right ! When I worked at the shrub nursery there was one that got left behind on a bare bank outside the tunnels. It burst through it`s pot and grew it`s roots into the ground. It grew into a huge and beautiful tree which customers stood and admired. It still had traces of the original (small) pot on one side of the trunk. It was there for at least ten years - probably still is 20 years on......
I borrowed this picture

 

Ceanothus often are short lived. Most of them grow fast and become large. Down here huge specimens can be seen and then, almost overnight, die.

Concha is one of the best but needs pruning every year after flowering to keep it compact.

So, Outlander, prune it now if flowering has finished. Dont cut into old wood.
You can have fun with the pruning....to encourage an upright narrow shape prune to upward buds; for a wider bush prune to downward facing buds

 

I had a concha that was 20yrs at least, I think I basically killed it as it was getting too big so I did a drastic prune.
I took some cuttings first though, so have a couple of young flowering plants now.
To me it's the best, darkest blue there is.

Yes prune now, but only back to green shoots, any later and you will be cutting off next years flowers.

 

Thanks for your replies. I will get started on it tomorrow.

 

That looks fantastic.