Pruning Native Plants & Trees

Currant, Gooseberry

• Scientific Name

  (Ribes spp.)
• Prized for

  

  Photo: Bob Mauceli, MMG

  Flowers; and dark green foliage.

• Blooms on

  Old wood.

• When to Prune

  June, July (Early Summer, after the winter bloom and the spring growth).

• What to Prune

  Use thinning cuts to reveal the structure of the plant. The stems are not long-lived. Therefore, taking out only new stems could shorten the life of the plant. Keep the new stems that are growing in a desired direction and remove the others at the base. However, note that removing too many stems at once can kill the plant.