No. Junipers do not respond to severe pruning and may decline when cut back hard, because bare interior wood without visible buds will not grow back. A juniper is kept in shape with light pruning before spring growth, and one that has badly outgrown its space is often better transplanted or replaced.

Why won't a juniper regrow after hard pruning?

Because the center of the plant becomes a dead zone. Shade from the outer growth leaves the interior bare, and new shoots will not come from that wood unless buds are visible on the stem, so a cut back into it leaves a lasting bare gap. Arborvitae and yews differ, since arborvitae has concealed buds in its branch crotches and yews sprout readily from old wood.

How should an overgrown juniper be pruned instead?

Lightly, before new growth starts in spring, and only where green growth remains. Each cut is made where branches form a V: on spreading or creeping junipers the more upright side of the V is cut, while on upright junipers the more horizontal side is removed.

When is replacing a juniper the better choice?

When it has outgrown its site. Since narrow leaf evergreens such as junipers do not recover from severe pruning, transplanting the shrub to a roomier spot, or replacing it, may be better than cutting it back.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a juniper need fertilizer after pruning?

Usually not. Junipers are not heavy feeders, but where one grows in an urban site or nutrient poor soil, TreeHelp Premium Fertilizer: Juniper, a slow release formula, feeds it steadily through the growing season.

Can a juniper be sheared?

It tolerates heavy shearing, but its natural form usually looks best, so pruning is kept to correcting growth problems.

Which evergreen shrubs can be cut back hard?

Yews. New growth develops on their old wood, making them very tolerant of heavy pruning, though they are not pruned after July.

How late in the year can a juniper be pruned?

Through the middle of summer, although cuts to control size and shape are best made before spring growth begins.