Redbuds need ‘very little pruning’ to be beautiful flowering trees – discover trimming tips from a national collection holder

Redbuds are deciduous trees adored for their pink or white spring flowers and unique heart-shaped leaves. Pruning helps keep redbuds healthy and productive, so knowing when and how to prune a redbud tree is integral if you have any of these stunning trees in your garden.

Redbud trees (Cercis) are renowned for their fantastic spring flowering displays. There are 10 redbud species throughout the northern hemisphere, including the native eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis). Redbuds bring color and drama and are great trees for wildlife, providing food for hummingbirds and other pollinators early in the year.

I got tips on when and how to prune a redbud tree from a vastly experienced horticulturist from JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University, which houses one of North America’s most comprehensive collections of redbuds.

Know the best time to prune a redbud tree

Redbud trees are fantastic fast-growing flowering trees that produce spectacular displays of blooms across their stems, branches, and trunks. Such flamboyant blooming makes them one of the best statement trees for a garden. That is why knowing when to prune a redbud tree is vital, so you do not make any mistakes that ruin that display.

When to prune a redbud tree

Redbud trees are low-maintenance when it comes to pruning, but do need dead, damaged, or diseased branches removed and some structural trimming to help maintain their form. So, when do you prune a redbud tree to achieve those key objectives? Well, that can depend on the reason for the pruning.

‘If there is a significant amount of pruning to be done, it would be healthiest for the tree to do it while it is completely dormant in winter,’ says Mark Weathington, horticulturist and director of JC Raulston Arboretum, which houses a national collection of redbuds with a special emphasis on the eastern redbud.

As for most routine redbud trimming, Mark adds: ‘Generally, a great deal of pruning isn't necessary so I recommend pruning just after flowering.’

Large-scale pruning is best done in winter, but remember that it will affect the tree’s display that year. Small-scale shaping and structural trimming are left for late spring, after the redbud’s spectacular display of cheery spring flowers. That way, you can perfect the tree’s form without impacting the blooming.

However, don’t leave the trimming too late. Add the task to your spring gardening checklist and aim to get it done before the tree has produced all of its leaves, which tends to be by the end of April. Pruning too far into summer will remove the buds formed during the season to carry next spring’s flowering display.

Mark Weathington

Mark Weathington is the Director of the JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University. He earned undergraduate degrees in both Horticulture and Sociology and a master’s degree in Horticulture from VA Tech. He has served as Director of Horticulture for the Norfolk Botanical Garden and horticulturist for the Atlanta Botanic Garden. 

How to prune a redbud tree

As discussed already, redbuds need relatively little pruning. Mark Weathington from JC Raulston Arboretum admits that often it is a case of ‘very little pruning other than a snip here or there to keep plants growing into beautiful small flowering trees’.

Always use clean and sharp pruning tools to prune a redbud tree and do the right pruning method at the correct time of year. And remember that less is more when trimming. If your redbud tree needs extensive pruning, Mark recommends ‘do it in stages over a few seasons rather than all at once’ as it would be a tree pruning mistake to remove more than a third of the branches in one go.

Winter is the time to focus solely on pruning out any dead, diseased, or damaged growth, removing each back to where it meets a larger branch or the main stem.

Structural pruning in summer after the redbud has flowered should include removing crossing limbs, which can rub and create wounds that are entry points for diseases, and thinning out congested areas

Mark Weathington says that ‘lower branches can be removed to raise the canopy’ of both young and mature redbuds in summer and adds: ‘If individual branches grow too long or compete with the top growing point of the tree, they can be pruned back to encourage upward growth.’

Fertilize trees after pruning with a slow-release product designed for feeding trees, such as these tree fertilizer spikes at Walmart that are manufactured to have the right amount of nutrients and remove the risk of making the fertilizing mistake of overfeeding.

FAQs

Can you prune a redbud tree in summer?

You can prune a redbud tree in summer, however, trimming at this time of year will see you lose lots of potential blooms. The tree will have begun forming next spring’s flower buds and pruning in summer will result in removing many of those buds.

Can you trim a redbud tree in the fall?

It is not advisable to prune a redbud tree in the fall. Not only will you be removing flower buds, as outlined above, but the trimming will trigger new growth that won’t have time to harden off before winter and will be damaged by winter colds - leaving the tree susceptible to pests and diseases.

For any trimming, picking the right method for pruning tree branches means you make clean cuts and keep the tree healthy. It includes choosing the right location to cut, whether making sure to cut around a quarter-inch from a bud or pruning larger branches close to the branch collar and not leaving stubs.

Another important aspect of pruning tree branches is to cut larger branches back in stages, rather than attempting to do it all in one go - often leading to peeling or broken bark on the main trunk. Our guide on how to prune tree branches highlights five important lessons that will help keep your trees safe and beautiful.