Pruning an Iresine: [Importance, Season, Tools, Considerations and Steps]

With its colorful stems and large, decorative leaves, the question often arises: Is it necessary to prune iresine?

The reality is that the vast majority of plants include pruning as a fundamental care for a very simple reason: they grow and they have to be refreshed.

The iresine does not escape this reality and, as it is a plant that you normally have decorating a corner inside the house, it is logical that you want it to be perfect.

So let’s get to work discovering all the details to prune iresine.

Why prune iresine?

Iresine pruning has a function linked to maintenance as its main objective.Being of such a beautiful structure, what we are most looking for is that it be able to stay organized throughout its life.

In some cases, pruning is recommended to attack problems that will arise at certain times, such as withered leaves.

However, in the latter case, it is necessary to verify if it is a general condition or is from a disease. If a diseased iresine is pruned, it may not have enough energy to recover.

When is it better to carry out pruning iresines?

The best time for pruning to have the expected positive effects is during spring.

During this time and in the summer you can apply a few light apical pinches that promote growth towards the ends of some stems.

Thus, you will enjoy beautiful leaves throughout the environment that will end with a much bushier plant. On the other hand, when it is already very large and takes up more space than expected, you will have to apply the pruning in reverse, reducing the number of stems.

What tools should we use when pruning iresines?

The structure of the iresine makes it easy for the work to be carried out with the help of one-handed pruning shears.

In case it is necessary because a stem is much thicker, with a two-handed scissors you will be more than ready to execute this task.

Take into account that if the scissors are not sharp enough, you could generate an inaccurate cut and in which you have to apply a lot of force, making it suffer. For this reason it is advisable to give it a good prior sharpening and clean each blade of the scissors with alcohol to disinfect.

What considerations should we take into account when pruning iresines?

To achieve an excellent pruning of iresine, planning is the fundamental step. Through it you will be able to assess what you currently have and what you hope to achieve.

Another benefit that prior planning will bring you is that of working safely and quickly. Even if iresine doesn’t take up much of your time by itself, you may find yourself moving on to other plants afterwards and it all adds up.

How to prune iresines without damaging the plant?

Now yes, we are going to put ourselves in gardening mode with the following step by step:

1. It detects which parts are in poor condition within the entire structure. Here it is key that you look not only at the withered leaves, which will surely be the first thing you see, but also at dry and brittle stems. All these you have to eliminate without thinking twice.
2. Identify which sections of the plant have sprouted but do not seem to be developing well. If you want to have a plant in perfect condition, you need each of its parts, especially the stems, to be born and develop strong.
3. Prune areas that have overgrown. Here we go the other way. If your iresine has a branch that has grown more than you expected and is causing you any inconvenience (it is coming out of a window or affecting an air conditioner, for example), cut it above a bud. This action will allow the wound to close and continue to develop afterward.
4. Pinch a few branches every two months to encourage them to grow stronger. This action in turn promotes that the plant has new and fresh leaves that decorate the space where you place it with greater charm.

It is normal that due to the size that the iresine reaches, the transplant is part of the pruning process.

Therefore, if in your case it is necessary, get a slightly larger pot and have it available to change the plant.

After you’ve completed the pruning process, whether or not you repot, be sure to apply some fertilizer. This step will help release nutrients that you can quickly distribute throughout the structure, making it even stronger.

Remember that although pruning is a necessary care, it does cause some kind of impact on the stability of the plant, so you have to act with caution.