Step 1

Cut down flowering stalks in spring

Kerria flowers in the spring and should be cut back immediately after flowering to give shoots as long as possible to regenerate for the following year.

Use sharp secateurs to cut all flowering stalks back to strong side shoots. These side shoots will become next year’s flowering stems. For older and multi-branched stems, you can prune right back to ground level. 

Step 2

Remove one third of all vertical stems

Stems can become very dense, limiting light towards the centre of the plant and reducing the number of flowers that develop each year. This means that kerria needs an annual thinning out.

Take each old flower in your hand and pull the stem taut to making pruning easier. Follow stems all the way back to ground level, before cutting them off with sharp secateurs. Cut stems into shorter sections before composting.

You should aim to remove about one third of all vertical stems, cutting them back to ground level, allowing new growth to spring up, and provide fresh new flowers and foliage the following season.