BC Living
You’ve Gotta Try This in February 2025
Recipe: How to Make Pie Crust from Scratch
Valentine’s Day Drink Recipe: Hy’s Love Is Love Cocktail
Nature’s Pharmacy: 8 Herbal Boutiques in BC
How Barre Enhances Your Flexibility
Top Tips for Workout Recovery
Inviting the Steller’s Jay to Your Garden
6 Budget-friendly Holiday Decor Pieces
Dream Home: $8 Million for a Modern Surprise
Local Getaway: Hideaway at a Mystical Earth House in Kootenay
9 BC Wellness Hotels to Relax and Recharge in This Year
Local Getaway: Enjoy Waterfront Views at a Ucluelet Beach House
B.C. Adventures: Things to Do in February
5 Beautiful and Educational Nature and Wildlife Tours in BC
7 Beauty and Wellness Influencers to Follow in BC
11 Gifts for Galentine’s Day from B.C. Companies
14 Cute Valentine’s Day Gifts to Give in 2025
8 Gifts to Give for Lunar New Year 2025
Q: Can you please give me information on pruning very neglected and now snow-damaged ‘California Lilac’ and Escallonia? How far back can these be pruned?
The bottom part of the Escallonia is still nice and green, but the top and the back of the plant where it is up against a building looks dead. The underside of the ‘California Lilac’ looks very dead.
Will it come from the root again? These shrubs have not had any attention for about 15 years. I am in Ladysmith.
Escallonia can be pruned back quite drastically to older wood. The plant can be cut right back to almost ground level.
‘California Lilac’ (Ceanothus cv.) are less likely to regenerate from older growth. Pruning ‘California Lilac’ should be limited to thinning weak, dying or crossing branches. Remaining branches can be cutback as long as there is some evidence of leaf growth.
For further information regarding aftercare on winter-damaged shrubs, refer to California Lilacs Revival