Lion’s Tail (Leonotis leonurus) is a striking semi-evergreen shrub known for its vibrant orange, tubular flowers that grow in tiered whorls along its square stems, resembling a lion’s tail. This South African native blooms from late spring through fall, adding a unique visual accent to gardens. Regular pruning is a beneficial practice for maintaining the plant’s health and encouraging a profusion of these distinctive blossoms.
Benefits of Pruning Lion’s Tail
Pruning Lion’s Tail offers several advantages for the plant’s vitality and aesthetic appeal. It promotes more abundant flowering by encouraging the plant to produce new wood, as blooms typically appear on fresh growth. This practice also helps maintain a desirable size and shape, preventing the shrub from becoming leggy or overgrown.
Regular trimming encourages bushier growth. Pruning also improves overall plant health by enhancing air circulation within the canopy, which helps reduce the risk of diseases. Removing dead, damaged, or diseased stems directs the plant’s energy towards healthy new growth, increasing its vigor.
Optimal Pruning Times
The best time for major structural pruning of Lion’s Tail is in late winter or early spring, just before new growth emerges. This timing allows gardeners to shape the plant and remove any frost-damaged branches. Hard pruning at this time encourages robust new shoots and more prolific blooming.
After the main flowering cycle, often in late autumn or early summer, a lighter pruning can be performed. This involves deadheading spent blooms, which encourages repeat flowering. Throughout the year, brown or yellowing leaves and any diseased stems should be removed as soon as they are noticed.
Pruning Techniques
When pruning Lion’s Tail, use clean, sharp bypass pruners to make precise cuts and prevent disease spread. For general maintenance and deadheading, remove old flowers by cutting them off at their base, just above the nearest set of leaves to encourage new blooms.
To control the plant’s size and encourage bushier growth, cut back overgrown stems to a point just above a leaf node. Make cuts at a slight angle to prevent water accumulation that could lead to disease. For rejuvenation pruning of an old or overgrown plant, you can cut the entire plant back hard, potentially to as low as 6 inches from the ground, after the danger of frost has passed.
Thinning out dense areas of the plant improves air circulation and light penetration. This can involve removing some of the inner stems at their base. Avoid removing more than 30% of the plant’s foliage at once to prevent stressing the plant.
After Pruning Care
Following pruning, ensure the Lion’s Tail plant receives adequate moisture for recovery and new growth. Water the plant thoroughly after significant pruning, especially during dry periods. Applying a light, balanced fertilizer can support the flush of new growth that follows pruning, though Lion’s Tail is not typically a heavy feeder.
Monitor the plant closely for any signs of stress, such as wilting or discolored leaves. Inspect for pests like spider mites or whiteflies, as stressed plants can be more susceptible. Prompt attention to these issues helps the plant recover well.