Spring flowering shrubs should be pruned in:

• A. Early Spring
• B. Late Summer
• C. Fall
• D. Late spring

Answer: (A)

Timing of pruning for shrubs that flower in spring is to do it after they have finished blooming. Pruning in early spring fits this window, letting you remove spent blossoms and thin growth while preserving the buds that will form next year’s flowers. If you prune later in the season, you risk removing flowers that are currently present or reducing next year’s bloom by cutting into wood that would bear buds. Pruning early spring keeps the plant’s bloom cycle intact and helps shape it before the rapid growth of new shoots.