How to Prune My Texas Mountain Laurel
Texas mountain laurel is a large-scale flowering shrub that is sometimes pruned into a small classic tree form when young. It reaches 20 feet in height and 10 feet in spread. An evergreen that flowers on year-old wood, it requires very little pruning. The leaves are slightly shiny, deep green and leather-like. The spring flowers are a rich lavender and produce a fragrance that might remind you of grape-flavored Kool-Aid. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Prune your Texas mountain laurel shrub or tree sparingly during the month of May or just after flowering finishes for the season.
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Cut away any dead, discolored, damaged or diseased branches from the interior of the plant as needed. Place all cuts on the bias down to the point of healthy wood, just above a leaf node or bud.
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Establish and maintain a classic tree form by pruning all branches and water sprouts that emanate from the lower third or half of the trunk. Make all cuts flush with -- or just protruding from -- the trunk to prevent damage to the surrounding bark and to speed healing of the pruning wounds.
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Tips & Warnings
Cut Texas mountain laurel branch by branch and never shear the shrub, since this will destroy the bud wood for the next year's bloom, as well as the natural form of the canopy.
Remove all cuttings from the plant canopy and from the soil surface to prevent breeding of insects and disease in the decaying material.
