When to prune begonia 'looking glass' in the UK

Prune begonia 'looking glass' in early to mid spring. For shrubs that flower on the current season's growth, the RHS times pruning to early or mid spring — after severe weather has passed and once the growth buds begin to swell. In Britain that is usually March into April rather than the February common in warmer regions; prune too early and the new shoots meet a late frost.

There is no nesting-bird restriction that realistically applies to begonia 'looking glass', since birds do not nest in it. The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 still protects any active nest you do find anywhere in the garden — the rule is about the nest, not the plant.

Cut leggy or bare canes back to 2–3 nodes above soil level with clean secateurs in spring. Remove any dead, damaged, or discoloured leaves at their petiole base throughout the year. Do not remove more than one-third of the plant at once.

Dead leaf removal as needed; structural cut-back once in spring if leggy — otherwise rarely. Begonia 'Looking Glass' is a cane-type Rex cultivar grown for its striking silver-grey foliage. It needs minimal pruning — remove dead or damaged leaves as they appear. If canes become leggy, cut them back to 2–3 nodes above the base in spring to encourage fresh, colourful new growth from the base.

Most pruning guides online are written for US conditions and anchored to USDA zones. Britain's maritime climate gives milder winters but later, less predictable last frosts — from March in the south-west to mid-May in the north — so the RHS advises against winter pruning for most plants: it pushes out soft growth that a late frost then kills. Britain also has the nesting-bird law, which has no US equivalent.