Hello everyone, I wonder if anyone can advise me. I have a ceanothus of about 6 feet in height which has VERY small leaves. So, apart from the few weeks in spring when it flowers, it looks like a fir tree! Not very attractive and rather rough and scratchy. I don't really want to remove the poor thing but I'd like to cut away the lower branches so I can plant some perennials or small shrubs underneath. It's in a raised bed next to the house. I've heard they can't really be pruned but on the other hand I don't need the lower branches to grow back - is it possible to just keep the top branches growing or is that a daft idea? All advice very welcome :-D
I have a small leaved, evergreen ceanothus and I find that it needs to be pruned lightly each year (during April I find is the best time to do this) to keep it in check. Only cut back into old wood, if you don't want it to re-sprout from that area. So if you cut back the branches at the bottom in this way your ceanothus should be fine and will keep growing from the top.
