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Can mountain laurel be cut back hard?

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

We have a leggy mountain laurel which is in shade and has limited foliage. I would like to cut it back hard, which would remove all foliage, but I detect no buds on the branches that would be left. So the conditions are not promising. Are we destined to lose it, in which case I would just grub it out this fall? However. if the chance of regeneration is substantial I'd wait until spring to prune. We'd appreciate some advice here.

Featured Answer

Embothrium

5 years ago

It's typical for these to become sparse if site conditions are not adequate, and equally typical for them to not come back well from hard pruning unless healthy and full at the time of pruning.

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Comments (6)

bengz6westmd
5 years ago
Mountain laurel in fairly deep to deep shade will be "leggy". Cut it back if you want, but it would recover at glacial speed if at all.
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Mountain Laurel can withstand full sun in many climates. In your particular case, however, I think the heat will be a serious problem. You're in a warm climate zone, the kalmia will receive direct sun all day long plus the reflected heat from the wall behind it. In the height of summer if not before, I do think this will be just too much for this species. You'll very likely have problems from winter sun as well. It's also not a great choice for providing screening, either. It's naturally quite a slow grower and the small leaves do not provide much in the way of the kind of cover you're looking for. It would be fine to move it now. Many shrubs can be kept to the size you want by pruning. I'd ask the nursery for their recommendations.
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one would think,.. as the name suggests.. that a native plant the lives on the mountain side.. wouldnt need such TLC that it would need to deadheaded ... its simple.. CUT OFF THE SEED PODS... thats the whole point of dead heading... if there are no seed pods.. indicating the plant is sterile.. or failed to go to seed.. then there is no real need nor reason .. to remove the seed pods.. because there are no seed pods.. and that the whole point of deadheading.. i was once told.. that as soon as you see the bud.. the energy was spent.. so removing any of it.. isnt going to resave the energy spent... nor benefit the plant in any way... so why bother.... i do not have a picture or video to support this logic... ken
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NHBabs z4b-5a NH
5 years ago
Have you considered moving it to a less shady spot. It does fine here with just a few hours of sun.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
5 years ago
have you considered just layering your view??? ... planting something smaller in front of it ... to hide the ugly trunks that are irritating you ???

and if you do lose it.. well .... you already have the replacement planted in front ,....

ken
bogturtle
5 years ago
In our Pine Barrens, when recurrent fires sweep through, the Mountain Laurel gets burned to the ground. It comes back slowly and just fine. I had once dug the roots out, and that became a fine bush in several years. I know better than to take plants from private property of public, now.
Saypoint zone 6 CT
5 years ago
I had one pruned back very hard recently by an arborist. He cut back leaving some foliage on the trunks. The shrub was large and full but was blocking the view of oncoming cars on the corner of my street, so it was a safety issue. It looks naked but happy so far.

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