How to Prune Outdoor Gardenias

Properly pruned gardenias flower profusely.

Gardenia bushes thrive in warm climates with mild winters. An evergreen shrub, the bush produces sweet-smelling blossoms from early spring to early summer. Outdoors, the gardenia reaches between 2 and 4 feet tall. It's suitable as a single focal planting or as an informal hedge or edging plant. Yearly pruning helps the gardenia maintain its shape and size so it continues to fit into the garden and look its best. Proper pruning also helps prevent damage and disease to the plant.

Things You'll Need

• Shears

Instructions

1. Pinch back newly planted gardenias after flowering in early summer and again in August. Pinch off the growing tip of each stem back to the nearest bud. Pinching encourages lateral branching and full growth.

2. Cut out overgrown branches after flowering finishes in early summer on established gardenias. Cut back each overgrown branch to the leaf bud closest to the desired length of the branch, using a pair of sharp shears. Remove no more than 1/3 the height of the gardenia when pruning.

3. Trim out any interior branches that are crossed or rubbing together. Cut these branches back to their base or where they emerge from another branch.

4. Prune gardenias in later winter before they resume growth. Remove only dead and damaged wood at this time.

Tips & Warnings

• Fertilize gardenias after pruning them in summer to encourage new, healthy growth.

• Do not prune extensively after late summer, as this will remove the flower buds and inhibit blooming next year.

References

• University of Florida Extension: Growing Gardenia in Florida
• University of Hawaii Extension: Common Gardenia