When to prune rhododendrons

The best time to prune rhododendrons is right after they have finished blooming, in early summer.

The window: Right after the plant has finished blooming (early summer), or in late winter / mid winter when the plant is dormant — the winter option works well in milder climates like coastal areas.

The plant has finished blooming, so you can enjoy the flowers this spring and then begin pruning back.
In late winter the plant is dormant, which lowers the chance of insect or disease issues that can pop up in cool humid late spring and summer.
Pruning in mid winter lets dormant buds begin to develop as the plant comes out of dormancy.
The mid-winter approach works well if you live in milder climates like coastal areas.

The mistake to avoid: Avoid pruning in the cool humid late spring and summer, when insect or disease issues are more likely to pop up.

Timing varies by region and year; your local extension office is the closest authority.

Grounded in: extension.umaine.edu, scholar.lib.vt.edu. Every timing follows sentences verified verbatim on those pages.

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