Mock Orange

Question

I have a mock orange bush in my yard planted by my grandparents 60 years ago. This spring the tree trimmers were contracted by the electric company to clear out some honeysuckle and they mistook my bush for the honeysuckle. They absolutely butchered it. It was over ten feet tall and ten feet in diameter. Now over five feet was hacked to the ground. What is left looks awful. It appears to be sprouting from the stump in the area where they butchered it. I am inclined to cut down the remaining half if it will regrow from the stump as well. This was a beautiful bush with sentimental value and would like advice on how to care for it and whether trimming it down will hurt it. Many thanks!

Answer 1

It is unfortunate that this happened, but not to worry. Pruning a mock orange down to 6 inches above the ground is actually a recommended method known as renewal pruning. See the following articles:

http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/plants/landscape/shrubs/hgic1053.html

https://extension.colostate.edu/mg/gardennotes/616.html

Pruning right after flowering is recommended. However, since you don’t have a choice in the pruning that was already done, you can leave it for now and wait till next spring and prune the rest of the branches down just after the bush finishes flowering.