Beautyberry Bushes – How Much Can I Prune Them?

Q: My beautyberry bushes are twelve feet high and haven’t been pruned in years. How far back can I prune them? 

A: Good news: beautyberry blooms on new wood, so you can prune in winter. The eye-catching berries seen in fall follow the flowers you’ll spot in early summer. I have a complete shrub pruning calendar at http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/shrub-pruning-calendar/.