11 Plants You Should Never Prune in August

You might not want to hear about the coming fall and winter seasons if you’re enjoying every last second of summer! Though nobody wants to think of cold weather, it’s helpful to prepare the garden for the coming seasons.

One way to prepare is with pruning. Pruning removes dead branches, lowers a plant’s height, and prevents diseases from spreading. You may want to prune while you clean the garden in August, but it’s best to consider the plant in question before hacking away.

Many perennials, from apple trees to rhododendrons, are hurt by pruning cuts in August. With a little time spent researching, you’ll know exactly which plants to prune as summer evolves into fall.

Before you pick up your pruning tools, make sure you avoid these plants you should never prune in August.

Sea Foam Camellia

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Sea Foam Camellia

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Bloomerang Lilac Bush

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Bloomerang Lilac Bush

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Roseum Pink Rhododendron

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Roseum Pink Rhododendron

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American Beautyberry

	botanical name Callicarpa americana
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3-8’
	hardiness zones 6-10

We’ll start this list of plants you should never prune in August with a stunning U.S. native shrub, the American beautyberry. This deciduous woody perennial’s main feature is its berries that form in fall and winter.

Not many other shrubs have purple berries or fruits. They’re pleasing to the eye, and they contrast well with the lush, green leaves that grow near them on the woody stems. In autumn, the green leaves gain a yellow hue before they fall off. 

Never prune these plants in August, as you’ll lop off the gorgeous purple berries. This shrub sprouts white flowers from new growth in the spring. Wait to prune until late winter or early spring, and cut the entire shrub down to a foot tall to encourage fresh new growth.  

Azalea

	botanical name Rhododendron spp.
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height 1-20’
	hardiness zones 5-9

Azaleas are a group of rhododendron shrubs with exquisite blooms. Some are deciduous, others are evergreen, and all of them erupt into bloom from late spring through early summer. In August, they’re developing their flower buds for next year.

You may clean up dead, dying, or diseased branches this month, but avoid making extensive cuts to the shrubs. Prune to shape in late spring or early summer after the blooms fade. Don’t wait until August! Azaleas begin forming flower buds soon after they finish blooming. 

Bigleaf Hydrangea

	botanical name Hydrangea macrophylla
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 3-8’
	hardiness zones 6-11

Bigleaf hydrangeas form flower buds on the previous year’s growth. Never prune these plants in August, as you’ll chop off next year’s flower clusters. The buds need time to develop and swell, and they start growing shortly after the current year’s blooms fade.

The proper time for pruning bigleaf hydrangeas is shortly after they flower. Let the blooms flourish, then deadhead them and make shaping cuts as you wish. 

Camellia

	botanical name Camellia spp.
	sun requirements Full sun to full shade
	height 6-20’
	hardiness zones 6-10

Camellias are one of the first shrubs to bloom in spring! They fill the late winter garden with various shades of red, pink, and white. Their blooms stand out against the dark green leaves.

These shrubs are evergreen, and they retain their leaves throughout the winter. They may suffer during extreme frosts and freak weather events. Instead of pruning these plants in August, insulate their roots with a two to three-inch-thick layer of mulch. 

The best time for camellia pruning is after they finish blooming from late spring through early summer. Enjoy their blooms, then prune any unruly stems and dead branches when they finish flowering. 

Forsythia

	botanical name Forsythia spp.
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3-10’
	hardiness zones 5-8

Forsythias, like camellias, are early spring bloomers. They’re one of the first shrubs to break bud, often while the climate is still frosty and cold. Their sunshine-yellow flowers fill the air with an astringent smell that’s both fresh and pungent. 

To bloom properly, these shrubs need a lack of pruning from summer through winter. Never prune these plants in August. Instead, remove excess growth and floppy stems after the flowers fade in spring. 

Fruit Trees

	botanical name Multiple genera and species
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 4-50’
	hardiness zones Varies depending on the species

Fruit trees need time to develop their crops. Those that grow in cold-winter regions, like apples, pears, plums, cherries, and peaches, are susceptible to winter injury when they have fresh pruning cuts. Pruning them in August may introduce diseases that harm your future harvests.

Except for tropical species, the best time for pruning fruit trees is before their buds open up from late winter through early spring. Shape them so they’re at a reachable height, and remove any dead or diseased branches. 

Japanese Flowering Cherry

	botanical name Prunus serrulata
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 15-25’
	hardiness zones 5-8

These trees are some of my favorites. Japanese flowering cherry trees are deciduous, and they bloom all at once in early spring. Their naked branches erupt with flowers in shades of pink, white, and soft red.

Avoid chopping off their woody stems from late summer through early fall. You’ll preemptively remove next year’s blooms!

Lilac

	botanical name Syringa spp.
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 4-16’
	hardiness zones 3-8

Lilacs are an old garden favorite, making a big comeback. New hybrids offer unique colors and fantastic fragrances that fill the spring yard with colors and aromas. They’re deciduous, losing their leaves in the fall and sprouting blossoms in the spring.

Never prune these plants in August. Prune new wood blooming varieties when new growth appears after winter, and prune old wood blooming types after they finish flowering. 

Oakleaf Hydrangea

	botanical name Hydrangea quercifolia
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 4-8’
	hardiness zones 5-9

Oakleaf hydrangeas are, in my opinion, the best hydrangea species! They offer all-season interest. 

These hydrangeas have peeling, brown bark that’s visible in the winter. Leaves with oak-leaf shapes sprout in spring, and white panicles of blooms emerge in summer. Chilly autumn weather causes the green leaves to turn rich shades of red.

Never prune these plants in August. Instead, wait for them to finish flowering and shape them shortly after. 

Rhododendron

	botanical name Rhododendron spp.
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 2-25’
	hardiness zones 4-11

Rhododendrons are extremely diverse, and they defy categorization. They share a genus with some azalea species, but they are botanically different. Some are deciduous, others are evergreen, and many are native to the U.S., like the Pacific rhododendron. A select few, known as the Vireya rhododendrons, are tropical dwellers that prefer warm temperatures year-round! 

Most rhododendrons prefer the cool weather that’s common to temperate climates, except for the Vireya types. Plant the shrubs in the shade garden alongside camellias and pieris. 

Because these spring bloomers develop buds on old wood, they’ll suffer if you prune them in August. Wait until they finish blossoming, then remove the spent blooms and any unruly growth. 

Snowberry

	botanical name Symphoricarpos albus
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3-6’
	hardiness zones 3-7

Like beautyberries, snowberries are beautiful woody shrubs native to the U.S. They grow wild in eastern and western states, from Washington and Oregon east to Virginia. They’re famous for their white, round berries that appear at the end of the growing season.