How To Prune A Huge Azalea Mucronulata.

Question

this azalea is out with the crocus. very beautiful deep pink. it was planted 49 years ago from our former home…just a foot tall then. it now has many inch thick canes and very crowded at base. is not blooming as much as before. should i cut down by 1/3 or thin out crowded heavy canes at the base? or both?

Answer 1

I would say that a bit of both will be necessary. In order to prevent shocking the plant, you should do no more than 1/3 of this pruning at a time. This means taking parts of the plant, slowly, over time.

This may take a couple of years, if the shrub is excessively large, since you will only want to prune during the proper times. You will want to catch them right after flowering, so that you don't destroy next year's flower buds.

Here is an article that will help:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/azalea/pruning-azaleas.htm