The purpose of flowering shrubs is to observe flowers and fruits. The effect of winter pruning on flowering and fruiting should be considered, and different pruning methods should be adopted according to different types of flowering shrubs.

The first category: tree species without flower buds when pruning.

If this flowering shrub is pruned vigorously in winter, it is bound to cut off the flower buds, and the consequence is that no flowers can be seen at flowering stage. So for this flowering shrub, just cut off the branches that affect the neatness of the crown.

The tree species belonging to this category are Ilex macrophylla and Ilex cornuta, Rhododendron and Rhododendron in the genus Rhododendron, Magnolia grandiflora and Magnolia grandiflora in the genus Campanula, Coral with peach leaves, Hydrangea macrophylla, Podocarpus in the genus Viburnum, Jinbao in the genus Melaleuca, and flowering shrubs such as Daphne, Aralia elata and Cornus officinalis.

The second category: trees that only need light cutting.

This flowering shrub can be lightly cut in winter. This light pruning will not cause flower bud loss. Pruning is just for shaping. If strong pruning is taken, flower buds will be lost. Tree species belonging to this category mainly include witch hazel, Chimonanthus praecox, bauhinia, etc.

The flower buds and leaf buds of witch hazel and Chimonanthus praecox are not at the same node, so the cut should be above the leaf buds when pruning, otherwise it will cause dead branches. This kind of improper pruning causes dead branches, which often happens in Japanese papaya pruning.

For bauhinia, even if it is cut off above the flower bud, there will be no dead branches, because new buds will still grow above the node where the flower bud is planted. However, when bauhinia bears fruit, it is difficult to sprout new buds on its nodes.

Category III: Tree species that can be safely pruned.

This flowering shrub is relatively extensive, no matter where it is cut, it will not damage the flower buds. Even if the flower buds have already formed during pruning, pruning can only delay the flowering period and will never fail to bloom.

Tree species belonging to this category include Osmanthus fragrans (only need light pruning), passion fruit, Liuhua tree, Lingxiao and Erythrina, as well as Chinese rose, pomegranate, frost red, wild jasmine, crape myrtle, hibiscus, hibiscus, and tropical flowering shrubs such as woody Datura stramonium and forsythia suspensa, most of which need strong pruning.