Prune apple trees, including flowering crabapples, mountain ash, hawthorns and shrub cotoneasters in late winter (February-early April). Snowball bushes are known for the puffy, white flowers that bloom on them year after year. "Great site! A hardy shrub that does well in zones 2 to 9, it is easy … Of course, much of viburnum pruning depends on the variety grown too. Expect viburnum snowball bushes to blossom in May. Leave behind the thinner, fresher shoots coming up from the plant’s base. Learn about pruning bushes and shrubs, including when to prune and how to properly shape hedges. In this case, 93% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. "In general, spring flowering plants bloom from buds formed the previous season. Burning bushes are tough and can sustain a lot of hard pruning. Is the plant growing in an unsightly shape? While there are over 150 varieties of viburnum, one of the most popular is known as the "snowball bush." Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Her past writing experience includes school news reporting, church drama, in-house business articles and a self-published mystery, "Duty Free Murder.". The most common is the European snowball bush, which is also called Roseum, according to DIY Network.There are also other types, such as the Japanese snowball bush, Chinese snowball bush, and the fragrant snowball bush. Viburnum bushes are at least 6 ft (1.8 m) tall, typically taller than hydrangea bushes, and produce larger flowers. Hard prune your snowball viburnum for shape and size every few years or as needed. Snowball Bush Facts. Planting, pruning and caring for it will certainly lead to magnificent flowers shaped like perfect snowballs that stand out against the beautiful dark green foliage. The first thing to know about snowball bushes is that there are several different types. While there are over 150 varieties of viburnum, one of the most popular is known as the "snowball bush." Attaining tree size at 12' by 12', clusters of tiny white flowers resembling snowballs cover the plant in spring. This could cause the ninebark to grow poorly. Or is it growing out of control in an area with inadequate space? Viburnum plicatum ‘Mary Milton’ is a very beautiful shrub, and its blooming in spring is as wonderful as its foliage in fall. Cut the branch back to healthy wood and carefully pull the unwanted branch out of the shrub. Thank you for asking about your snowball bush before pruning. Autumn or early winter pruning is more likely to result in drying and die-back at pruning sites. Viburnums also take some pruning, but most often they don't need much attention. Prune a snowball viburnum bush by sterilizing the equipment, cutting off flowers and cutting back the older branches before the fall. This allows sunlight and proper ventilation to reach the remaining branches. Although you should only do major pruning in the spring, check your bush throughout the year. The best time to do this is around May, after the flowers bloom, although it can be done anytime as needed. By maintaining the bush regularly, you likely won’t need to do this. In the fall, the snowball bush's foliage turns yellow and red, bringing rich autumn color into the garden. Deadheading, or cutting off the flowers, won’t harm viburnum. Pruning back your Viburnum Snowball not only encourages new growth for a … Prune the shrub at a slight angle so that there is a gradual thickening towards the base. Snowball viburnum is a beautiful shrub, much liked in our gardens for its beautiful blooming. The three-inch clusters of snowball flowers start out apple-green and morph to white, eventually fading to a rosy color, as do some hydrangea shrubs.. You can cut the flowers to use in displays. How to Prune Snowball Bushes. Another way of renewal pruning is to take out the oldest canes, no more than 1/3 of the total, every year. This is a snowball bush, it is 8 t0 10 feet tall with white blooms in early Spring. Try to trim some of the old branches back every fall so your hydrangea always has fresh growth. For 17 years, she worked for a Fortune 500 company before purchasing a business and starting a family. The best time to prune your Viburnum snowball bush is after the flowers bloom in spring, since you can destroy next year’s flowers if you prune it too early or late. You want to do it anytime after the first freeze through the end of winter. Lori Lapierre holds a Bachelor of Arts and Science in public relations/communications. Determine the necessity of pruning before arbitrarily cutting any flowering bush or shrub. Then you can see where you need to thin out the branches. A hardy shrub that does well in the UK, the snowball is easy to plant and care for, and requires very little maintenance. You should determine in advance which branches are to be removed in which year. Also remove any that are beginning to intertwine. Refer to our guidelines on how to prune shrubs. She is a regular freelancer for "Living Light News," an award-winning national publication. In many cases, pruning just after flowering but before the setting of seedpods is sufficient. As part of a flowered hedge, as a standalone or in shrub beds, its growing and maintenance is easy. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/3\/31\/Prune-a-Snowball-Bush-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Prune-a-Snowball-Bush-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/3\/31\/Prune-a-Snowball-Bush-Step-1.jpg\/aid10077733-v4-728px-Prune-a-Snowball-Bush-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"