When to prune boxwood
Late winter to spring; light shaping into early summer. Thin by reaching in and removing small branches to let light into the center; shear lightly. Finish shaping by midsummer so new growth hardens before cold.
| Type | shrub |
|---|---|
| Blooms on | foliage |
| Bloom season | n/a |
| When to prune | Late winter to spring; light shaping into early summer |
| Stop | No heavy pruning in the 6–8 weeks before your first fall frost |
Avoid
Late-summer and fall shearing; shearing only the outer shell (which shades out the inside).
Also
No heavy pruning in the 6–8 weeks before your first fall frost
Example dates
| Place | Dates |
|---|---|
| Austin, TX (78701) | Feb 10–Apr 7 |
| Atlanta, GA (30303) | Feb 24–Apr 21 |
| St. Louis, MO (63101) | Mar 4–Apr 29 |
| Chicago, IL (60614) | Mar 13–May 8 |
| Denver, CO (80202) | Apr 2–May 28 |
| Seattle, WA (98101) | Feb 13–Apr 10 |
Every ZIP page has its own dates. Find your ZIP.
Find hedge shears: Lowe's · The Home Depot · Amazon · DoMyOwn
Retailer links are plain search links. We don't earn anything from them today; if we join a retailer's affiliate program later, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.
Sources
- Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC: Boxwood
- University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension (Wisconsin Horticulture): Pruning Evergreens
- Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC: Pruning Shrubs
Summarized in our own words from public extension publications.
Never miss a frost: get The Dial
Weekly yard timing, plus frost and soil-temperature alerts for your ZIP code.
- Freeze alerts
- Soil-temp heads-up
- Weekly yard to-dos
Free. One weekly email plus alerts when your ZIP has a frost or a soil-temperature change worth acting on. After you submit, Kit (our email provider) sends a confirmation email: check your email and click the link to confirm. You aren't subscribed until you do. We collect only your email address and ZIP, sent to Kit to deliver The Dial. Unsubscribe anytime.