Plant ID
I have this plant/bush growing in one of my borders. It takes up the whole border which is quite deep. I'm guessing it was planted many years ago to help screen the oil tank, but over the years through both growth and wind damage it has moved forward to dominate the border.
I do actually like it and I'm not wanting it to go, in fact I'm quite looking forward to seeing how it looks through spring and summer. Not sure if it does anything or stays as is now!
My question is, what is it and when/how should it be pruned and cut back?
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I think Choisya Sundance too Steve. I've seen it respond very well to being cut hard back but I'm not sure when is best to do it - someone will pop along in a bit and tell you in a bit.
It looks as if some of the branches have reverted to plain green - I'd cut them away at the bottom as they'll overtake the golden branches and dominate.
If it's happy and looked after it'll have scented white flowers - another of it's names is Mexican Orange Blossom - so I'd give it a feed of Fish, Blood and Bone.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
At first I thought Sundance too, but looking at it, I think it might be ordinary Ternata in need of a very good feed. Difficult to tell 100% from the photo.
However, cutting back and feeding will do it the power of good.
If you're going for a hard prune, I'd be tempted to do it earlier and forego this year's flowers, but if you just want to tidy it up, you could leave it until later. Your choice.
I have just pruned my Choisya Ternata hard back as it was overflowing onto the path. I looked up about pruning, sites said after flowering. It had flower buds on it but the spring ones often get caught by frost and rain and I couldn't wait so did it anyway. I usually find the autumn flowering is better.