Do native plants require pruning?

Native plants do just fine in the wild without our helping hand. Often animals graze and nibble on branches, providing their own pruning services. Winds and rain remove much of the dead material from trees and shrubs.

In our gardens, though, we may prefer a neater look. This can be accomplished by selecting properly sized plants for the space, and grooming plants at the right time of year. Regular grooming includes removing dead branches and stems, tipping back new growth, especially on young plants, deadheading spent flowers, and removing dormant stems from plants that grow from the ground each year.