The wig tree (Cotinus coccygria) is a very attractive shrub in the ornamental garden for its flamboyant foliage in autumn, although deciduous, and its clouds of powdery pink feathery inflorescences in summer. If it does not require systematic pruning, the cotinus must be pruned correctly and at the right time, when the gardener undertakes this task. Otherwise, its decorative assets may suffer.
When to prune the cotinus?
The cotinus is a shrub whose summer flowering extends from May to September approximately. It develops on the branches of the previous year, so be careful not to intervene at any time at the risk of not seeing flowers bloom.
Be that as it may, the pruning of the wig tree is practiced at the end of winter, In early springbefore the vegetation starts up again, i.e. in February-March.
If you like to rely on the lunar calendar, intervene preferably in the descending moon, causing the sap to descend into the roots, which weakens the aerial parts less, and in the waxing moon, making the plants more vigorous, more resistant to parasites and diseases. If you want to favor foliage, prune on a “Leaf” day, but if you prefer to have beautiful feathery inflorescences, handle your shears on a “Flower” day.
How to prune the cotinus?
As the wig tree has a double interest with, on the one hand, its spectacular foliage by its colors and, on the other hand, its feathery pink flowers in vaporous cloud, know that the size will allow you to favor one or the other of these two advantages: the more severely you prune the cotinus, the more you favor the formation of beautiful and large leaves and the fewer flowers you will obtain. And conversely, light pruning will not hinder flowering but will give you a limited foliage effect.
To prune the cotinus, a pruner is enough. Take the time to clean it well, disinfect it well and sharpen it well beforehand, in order to avoid contamination and cuts that are not clean enough.
- If flowering is preferred, pruning should be limited to removing dead or damaged stems and stems growing inward. As for the new stems, they can be cut above a bud facing outwards so that the branches are more airy and flourish.
- If large leaves are desired, severely prune all the stems to 50-60cm from the ground each year, you will obtain a less tall shrub but with imposing foliage, with larger leaves with more brilliant autumn colors.
Coppicing can be practiced on old subjects or ones that have become shaggy and unattractive: in this case, cut back to ground level, keeping two large buds and cutting above them. The following years, you will resume either a light pruning, or a severe pruning, or no pruning since this remains optional.
The pruning can also aim to make the cotinus into a tree, which leads to cutting the side branches at the bottom in order to form a trunk.
In general, the cotinus let themselves grow naturally and are seldom pruned: this is true for the wig tree and even more so for the other species, cotinus obovatus, which is a real tree which reaches 10m in height.