Do you have a husband who love to chop everything in sight once they are allowed in the garden? Get the chief clipper in the family to spring into action right now (apologies to the husbands who do not have the chopping fever!). Exochorda racemosa, is a spring flowering shrub, with arching branches of purest white flowers that grows well in full sun to part shade.
The secret of this shrub, is that you carry out the pruning at the right time – right after flowering. This prompt pruning action will enable the shrub to grow long arching stems throughout the summer growing season which will then provide huge trusses of white flowers the following spring. If you prune it too late it will not have time to make its flowering stems for the next year.
Remember, flowers grow on the stems made the previous year! Plant it at the back of a border as it passes most of the year as a somewhat nondescript shrub. Despite this it is one of my favourite plants in the moon or white garden as it is just stunningly purest white and the little “pearls” are gorgeous.
The Garden Times 