How to Prune Your Vines and Other Climbing Plants - Brooklyn Botanic Garden (2024)

Vines are plants with long, long stems that make their way up in the world by clinging to or twining around a support. As long as there is something sturdy to mount, true vines can do it alone, or with minimal help. There are a handful of other plants that we call vines—Bougainvillea and climbing roses (Rosa) are two popular examples—that neither cling nor twine and can't ascend without help. Since they also want to be head and shoulders above their fellows, you must tie them to or drape them over a support.

As with other woody plants, the time and energy you'll spend pruning vines has much to do with the plant you select and the spot in which you place it. You'll save yourself a good deal of anguish if you pick a vine that can live comfortably in the space you have. Old wisterias can produce primary stems the size of tree trunks and have been known to pry off drainpipes and gutters. Even my tropical wax plant (Hoya carnosa)—which hangs indoors and receives far less light than it needs—has managed to creep under the molding of the window, emerge on the other side, and now threatens to escape to the outdoors through a tiny tear in the screen.

More: Read about Japanese-made shears, loppers, and other gardening blades in A Japanese Tool Kit for Any Garden.

How vines grow affects how much pruning they may need. Among the mostintrepid are species that climb by using aerial rootlets and species likeVirginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) that have holdfasts,little suction cups that grab onto walls and other surfaces. Also exuberant(and sometimes invasive) are many vines that twine, such as Wisteria,bittersweet (Celastrus scandens), and honeysuckles (Lonicera).Somewhat less rampant are the vines that ascend by using tendrils, such asClematis, grape (Vitis), and passionflower (Passiflora).But only somewhat.

Unlike many shrubs and trees that do well without ever being thinned or cutback, even vines grown in sizable settings may require regular pruning to keepthem healthy, productive, attractive, and under control. Many vines just don'tknow when to quit—or in which direction to grow. They must be taken inhand early on or they will be collapsing trellises, pulling down fences, andobscuring windows and doors.

Once vines have developed adequate roots, most just keep on growing above ground. To keep a vigorous climber healthy, you must do the following:

• Remove any dead, damaged, diseased, or unproductive stems.
• Remove overly tangled stems.
• Remove errant stems, especially those growing away from the support.
• Direct its growth.
• Limit its growth.

Reducing a vine's mass not only ensures that your fence won't collapse, italso allows light and air to reach the plant's interior. Don't forget, though,that pruning doesn't just reduce mass: It can increase it. Heading back stemsencourages new growth.

Vine-Pruning Primer

If you've purchased a container-grown vine—standard nursery fare thesedays—no pruning is mandatory at planting time, especially with evergreenvines. But heading back, which will encourage new growth, may be a good idea ifyour plant has long, spindly shoots with few leaves or only a single stem.Bare-root plants should be headed back by no more than a quarter before theyare planted to allow the vine to balance its growth below and above ground. Besure to cut out any damaged or dead roots and stems, or stems that have mindsof their own and appear determined to grow into the neighbor's yard rather thanup your trellis.

Vines in their first or second year tend to sprout and elongate stems morethan produce leaves and flowers. Pinching back shoot ends helps balance theirgrowth. Also, woody vines tend to flower more generously on shoots that arehorizontal rather than vertical, so keep that in mind as you direct and shapeyour climbers. Twining vines especially grow from upper buds and tend to losetheir lower leaves. They may need severe heading back to promote foliage nearthe ground. If you want a compact vine, head back stems throughout the growingseason; if you want a vine to ramble, keep your pruning shears in theirscabbard.

The guidelines for pruning mature vines are similar to those for pruningdeciduous shrubs. Species grown for their foliage can be pruned throughout thegarden season, but early spring before leaves appear puts the least stress onthe plant. Vines that flower in summer and fall on the current year's growth,such as honeysuckles (Lonicera), should be pruned in late winter orearly spring. That schedule gives the plant time to produce new shoots andflowers. Prune vines that flower early in the garden season on shoots producedthe previous year—jasmines (Jasminum) and Wisteria aretwo—immediately after their flowers fade. Most hardy vines fall into thiscategory.

Except...like all general rules, there are exceptions, the most important ofwhich concerns vines that produce ornamental or edible fruits. Even ifpostflowering pruning is called for, wait until spring, or the fruit crop willbe lost.

When you prune, be sure to do the following:

• Cut to healthy wood if removing dead, diseased, or damaged growth.
• Cut back to a lateral shoot or bud.
• Cut to a bud or stem that is pointing in the direction you want the vine togo.
• Cut cleanly and don't leave a stub, which is an invitation to bugs anddiseases.

Pruning mature vines can be difficult, because their long stems becometangled. Don't be tempted to yank. Instead, prune one stem section at a timeuntil you've cut out all you want to remove.

A Vine-by-Vine Guide to Pruning

Some vines don't have to be pruned every year, but all vines needbasic care: Remove dead, damaged, and diseased stems; stems that are tangled orhead in the wrong direction; stems that are weak or unproductive; unwantedsuckers; and spent flowers. Beyond those cuts, the general goal when pruningvines is to keep them healthy, vigorous, and productive, and to help themfollow their natural inclinations at the same time they fulfill your needs.

Actinidia species, kiwi, silver vine. Flower on new wood. Domaintenance pruning—to train or control—on silver vine (Actinidiapolygama), variegated kiwi vine (A. kolomikta), and other ornamentalactinidias after they flower. Save severe or renewal pruning for late winter toearly spring when the vine is dormant.

Aristolochia macrophylla, Dutchman's pipe, pipevine.Dutchman's pipe flowers on old wood, but it is grown for its foliage and can bepruned anytime to remove tangles and errant shoots. Save renewal pruning forlate winter to early spring when the vine is dormant, then cut oldest stems tosix inches.

Bignonia capreolata, crossvine, quartervine, trumpet flower.Flowers on new wood. Prune to remove weak, overgrown, or errant shoots in latewinter to early spring; head back shoots to encourage new growth. Needs minimalpruning.

Bougainvillea species, bougainvilleas, paper flowers. Mostbougainvilleas flower intermittently throughout the year on new growth, withthe heaviest bloom cycles (followed by a rest cycle) coming in spring and fall.Prune after flowering ends. Remove dead, tangled, and errant wood and suckers;head back long stems to encourage new flower buds.

Campsis radicans, trumpet creeper, trumpet vine, cow-itch.Flowers on new growth. Head back stems in late winter to early spring tocontrol growth and encourage branching. Remove suckers and root-prune todiscourage underground runners. Cut stems to ten inches to renew.

Celastrus scandens, American bittersweet. Blooms on new wood.Prune in late winter to early spring. Remove suckers, tangled and weak stems,and stems that have fruited; head back last year's growth; pinch shoot tips insummer to encourage branching. Do not confuse this native species withCelastrus orbiculatus, oriental bittersweet, which is invasive.

Clematis, clematis. See "Clematis: TheQueen of Vines."

Cocculus carolinus, Carolina moonseed, coral beads. Flowers onnew wood; prune as needed in early spring.

Ficus pumila, creeping fig, climbing fig. Remove older stemsin late winter or early spring to promote immature foliage form. Pinch stemends to promote branching. Needs little pruning.

Gelsemium sempervirens, Carolina jessamine, evening trumpetflower. Flowers on old wood. Head back lateral shoots, remove dead stems,and prune to shape after flowering ends.

Humulus lupulus, common hop. Flowers on new growth. Commercialgrowers cut their hop vines to the ground in late summer to harvest the cones.Hop vines grown for ornament should be cut to the ground in late winter toearly spring. Root-prune to control underground runners.

Hydrangea petiolaris, climbing hydrangea. Flowers on new wood.Head back in early spring; remove stems that have pulled away from theirsupport. Prune hard to renew.

Ipomoea species, cypress vine, morning glory. Ipomoeaspecies, including morning glory (I. tricolor) and moonflower (I.alba), the p.m. version of the morning glory, flower on new wood. Cut vinesto the ground in late winter to early spring in zones where they areperennial.

Jasminum nudiflorum, winter jasmine. Flowers on old wood;prune immediately after blooms fade. Winter jasmine, primrose jasmine(Jasminum mesnyi), and common, or poet's, jasmine (J. officinale)need minimal pruning.

Lonicera, honeysuckle. Prune Henry's honeysuckle (Lonicerahenryi), trumpet honeysuckle (L. sempervirens), woodbine (L.periclymenum), and trumpet honeysuckle cultivars (L. xbrownii) in late winter to early spring to control growth; remove weakshoots; head back long stems. Renew old vines by cutting a third of oldeststems to the ground. Japanese honeysuckle (L. japonica) and itscultivars are extremely invasive and not recommended.

Mandevilla splendens, mandevilla. Flowers throughout thegrowing season on old wood; little or no pruning necessary.

Menispermum canadense, Canada moonseed, yellow parilla.Flowers on new wood. Postpone pruning until spring to preserve ornamentalfruits. Root-prune to control underground suckers.

Parthenocissus species. Most Parthenocissus species, includingVirginia creeper, or woodbine (P. quinquefolia), and Boston ivy (P.tricuspidata), need pruning only to control or direct their growth. Grownfor their leaves, they can be shaped throughout the garden season; wait untillate winter to early spring to do radical pruning.

Passiflora species, passionflowers. Bloom on new growth;remove tangled and unproductive stems in spring. Need only moderate pruningunless grown for fruit production.

Periploca graeca, silkvine. Flowers on new wood. Littlepruning needed; head back in spring to stimulate and direct growth.

Rosa species and cultivars, climbing and rambling roses. See"Roses."

Schisandra species. Schisandra species, such as Chinesemagnolia vine (S. chinensis) and bay star vine (S. coccinea),flower in spring on old wood, but postpone pruning until late winter or earlyspring to preserve their ornamental beaded fruits.

Schizophragma species, hydrangea vine. Both Japanese hydrangeavine (Schizophragma hydrangeoides) and S. integrifolium flower onnew wood. Prune in early spring; little pruning is needed.

Vitis species, grapes. Flower on new growth. Grape speciestraditionally are pruned in late winter. Ornamental grapes, such as V.vinifera 'Brandt', V. vinifera 'Purpurea', and V. coignetiaedo not require the careful and severe pruning that is needed when growinggrapes for their fruits.

Wisteria species, wisteria. Native wisterias, including Americanwisteria (W. frutescens) and Kentucky wisteria (W. macrostachya),are less vigorous and showy than Asian species, which are invasive. They floweron short, leafy shoots, or pedicels, that arise from buds on theprevious year's wood. To encourage flowering, head back stems after blooms havefaded; if necessary, head back a second time in late winter, leaving at leastthree or four buds. Train shoots to establish a framework or increase vineheight; head back once the desired height and width have been achieved. Oldplants can be renewed by severe pruning, almost to the ground.

Clematis: The Queen of Vines

Clematis are among the most beautiful flowering vines but also among themost puzzling when it comes to pruning. Most flower without any pruning—atleast for a few years—but if you wait too long, the severe pruning thatmay be necessary can be a death knell. All clematis benefit from being pinchedback to the lowest pair of healthy buds when planted, and pinched again intheir second season if growth is slow and stems sparse.

The key to pruning clematis safely and effectively is to know what class ofvine you're growing. Once you know what you've got—another argument forsaving the tags that come with plants—the rest is easy. The experts havedivided the genus into three groups.

Group One, the spring-flowering clematis that bloom on old wood,should be pruned lightly after they blossom. Old, overly tall woody vines canbe pruned hard, but it may take a season or two for them to recover.

Prune Group Two, the late- and twice-blooming clematis, which blossomon both old and new wood, lightly in late winter when the vine is dormant.After their first flowering, prune them more heavily—cut back about athird of the shoots to the lowest pair of healthy buds—to induce newgrowth for fall flowers.

Group Three, the late-flowering clematis, which bloom on new wood,should be cut back to the lowest pair of healthy buds in late winter to earlyspring, before new growth begins.

Clematis Group One

• C. alpina, alpine clematis
• C. macropetala
• C. montana
• C. spooneri
• C. 'Apple Blossom'
• C. 'Blue Bird'
• C. 'Crimson Star'
• C. 'Rubens'
• C. 'Snowdrift'

Clematis Group Two

• C. florida
• C. 'Barbara Jackman'
• C. 'duch*ess of Edinburgh'
• C. 'Empress of India'
• C. 'Fairy Queen'
• C. 'General Sikorski'
• C. 'Henryi'
• C. 'Mme. le Coutre'
• C. 'Nelly Moser'
• C. 'Prince of Wales'
• C. 'The President'
• C. 'Vyvyan Pennel'

Clematis Group Three

• C. tanguitica, Russian virgin's bower
• C. terniflora, sweet autumn clematis
• C. texensis, scarlet clematis
• C. viticella
• C. 'Comtesse de Bouchaud'
• C. 'Ernest Markham'
• C. 'Gravetye Beauty'
• C. 'Huldine'
• C. 'Jackmanii'
• C. 'Perle d'Azur'
• C. 'Warsaw Nike'

Invasive Vines

The following vines often grown in gardens can be invasive in natural areas.Check with botanical gardens or preserve managers in your area before plantingthem.

• Akebia quinata, five-leaf akebia, chocolate vine
• Ampelopsis brevipedunculata, porcelain vine
• Celastrus orbiculatus, oriental bittersweet
• Euonymus fortunei, wintercreeper
• Hedera helix, English ivy
• Jasminum azoricum (J. fluminense), gold coast jasmine
• Jasminum dichotomum, Brazilian jasmine
• Lonicera japonica and cultivars, Japanese honeysuckle
• Lygodium japonicum, Japanese climbing fern
• Merremia tuberosa, wood rose
• Polygonum aubertii, silver lace vine
• Vinca major, periwinkle
• Wisteria floribunda, Japanese wisteria
• Wisteria sinensis, Chinese wisteria