How to prune cercis siliquastrum

After flowering in late spring for light tidying; late winter for hard size-control pruning only if necessary. Remove dead, diseased, or crossing branches after flowering, cutting back to a healthy lateral. If hard pruning for size control, cut stems back in late winter before bud break — the tree will regenerate vigorously from old wood.

Rarely — light tidy after flowering; hard size-control pruning only every several years if needed. Cercis siliquastrum (Judas tree) is in RHS pruning group 1 and needs very little pruning. It flowers on the previous year's wood — even directly on old stems — so avoid cutting live wood before or during flowering. Tidy up lightly after flowering. Hard pruning in late winter can restrict size and generate larger foliage if needed.

Remove dead, diseased, or crossing branches after flowering, cutting back to a healthy lateral. If hard pruning for size control, cut stems back in late winter before bud break — the tree will regenerate vigorously from old wood.