How to Prune Tropical Plants
Tropical plants that have big, showy blooms are a beautiful accent to any garden. Pruning tropical plants is not a lot different from normal pruning measures for other plants. Pruning encourages new growth, controls the size of the plant and removes any dead limbs to create a healthy plant. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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1
Prune tropical plants just after the last frost of the season. This will ensure that the new growth will not be affected by freezing temperatures. Hydrangeas are the only tropical plant that needs to be pruned just after each flowering. This applies to the South as well, since the South does receive some freezing temperatures. Even if there are no freezing temperatures in your area, most tropical plants go dormant during the winter months.
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2
Remove any dead limbs or limbs that show signs of disease with clean pruning shears. Cut these limbs as close to the main plant as possible, but do not cut the collar or junction of the limb and main stalk.
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3
Encourage new growth by cutting at an angle just above an "eye" or node on the limb. This node contains a new flower bud inside and when cutting just above it, it makes the bud come alive and start growing. New growth will begin here.
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4
Control the shape and size of a tropical plant by cutting limbs on one side of the plant. Cut in the same manner as Step 3 to either make the plant smaller or to fill in an area of the plant that does not have much growth. One third of the limb needs to be removed to control the size of the plant.
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5
Prune the opposite side of the plant 4 to 6 weeks after Step 4, using the same method. This helps the plant continue to grow while pruning and does not put it in shock due to severe pruning.
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Tips & Warnings
Make sure the pruning shears are cleaned after each use to prevent contamination to other healthy plants.
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