- The right time for the pruning
- Cut the gentian tree in between
- Cut before moving to winter quarters
- Cut the gentian bush as a standard
- Always wear gloves when cutting
- tips and tricks
Gentian bushes require a lot of care. This also applies to the cut, which must be carried out very carefully. If you cut too much, you will only stimulate growth of the branches. If a gentian tree hardly blooms anymore, it is often due to incorrect pruning.
Proper pruning promotes flowering of the gentian bush
The right time for the pruning
- spring pruning
- Cut in between
- Shape pruning for tall trees
- Prune before overwintering
Spring is the best time to cut back the gentian bush. Do this carefully. Only cut off the outer tips of young shrubs.
In the case of flowering shrubs, you have to be particularly careful about what you cut. In this case, it is best to wait until the shrub bears the first flowers. Then do not accidentally remove shoots that would later bloom.
Cut the gentian tree in between
If shoots protrude very much from the crown, you can also remove them in between. Again, it's better to cut too little than too much.
Cut before moving to winter quarters
You should only care for a gentian bush if you can offer it a sufficiently large winter quarters in winter. This applies above all to the crown, which can become very expansive.
Only in an emergency should you trim the shrub before bringing it indoors. This is especially true for younger gentian bushes. The older specimens also tolerate a somewhat stronger pruning.
In any case, you should cut as little as possible so that the gentian bush will have many flowers next year.
Cut the gentian bush as a standard
In this country, gentian bushes are usually offered as standard trees. Specialist nurseries use chemical crushing agents to maintain this unnatural shape for the gentian tree.
If you absolutely want to grow the gentian shrub as a standard, get some compression material such as Cycocel from the nursery. The remedy also stimulates flowering.
Always wear gloves when cutting
The gentian bush is highly poisonous. Always wear gloves when cutting and wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.
tips and tricks
In its native South America, the gentian tree can reach heights of up to four metres. The shoots grow drooping. The shrubs get very large crowns or are often pulled on a scaffold like a climbing plant.