Advice
RHS Help & Advice
Pruning winter-flowering shrubs
Do not be tempted to prune shrubs that flower in winter when tidying up in autumn - cut them back only when they have finished blooming or you'll remove the flower buds
The gloomy days of winter are brightened by winter-flowering shrubs. To get the best effects some pruning is usually required.
Abeliophyllum distichum Tie in wall-trained plants and prune to shape throughout the growing season. Cut back one in three of the flowered stems on established shrubs.
Chimonanthus praecox When young leave unpruned, so flowering wood can mature. In later years thin spindly shoots and shorten older branches by 15-30cm (6-12in) in late winter.
Daphne odora Upright in form, daphnes are best left unpruned (but tolerate light pruning to keep them compact).
Lonicera fragrantissima and Lonicera x purpusii Cut down old, weak stems to the ground, shortening others by one-third.
Mahonia japonica Needs little regular pruning, but long stems can be cut back to strong growth lower down.
Sarcococca confusa Prune lightly in spring to maintain shape.
Stachyurus praecox Needs little pruning; overlong branches can be shortened by one third.
Viburnum x bodnantense Cut out about one in five of the oldest stems at the base.