How to Prune Floribunda, Shrub and Hybrid Tea Roses

Modern floribunda and hybrid tea roses benefit from hard pruning to encourage new flowering shoots, while shrub roses require relatively gentle treatment. Pruning also helps control the disease blackspot.

Floribunda Roses

Also known as cluster-flowered roses, floribundas produce flushes of blooms through summer and early autumn. Compact dwarf floribundas are also called patio roses, and can be grown in pots. In early spring, remove dead, diseased, and crossing stems. Prune the other stems to outward-facing buds 8–12 in (20–30 cm) from the ground using sloping cuts. When pruning, aim to leave a framework of between eight and ten strong, healthy stems.

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Examples of Floribunda and Patio Roses

‘Arthur Bell’
‘English Miss’
‘Fellowship’
‘Fragrant Delight’
‘Pretty Lady’
‘Princess of Wales’
‘Remembrance’
‘Sunset Boulevard’
‘Sweet Dream’
‘Tall Story’
‘Trumpeter’

Hybrid Teas

These are large-flowered roses, with some varieties that repeat bloom, although they produce just one flower per stem. Prune in early spring, removing dead, diseased, and crossing stems. Cut the oldest stems to the ground, and shorten the remainder to 6 in (15 cm) from the base. In late autumn reduce their height by one third to prevent root damage caused by wind rock. Leave three to five strong young stems after pruning with cuts angled to allow water to drain off the buds.

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