Enjoy Early Blooms: How to Force Flowering Branches

The grey winter days can sap your inspiration for outdoor activities, but you can boost your spirits with an indoor preview of the spring to come. Many of the classic spring blooming trees and shrubs, and a few less common but no less worthy ones, can have branches forced inside weeks before they bloom outdoors.

What to force?

Most spring blooming trees and shrubs set their flower buds in preparation the summer before. Some good choices include the already early blooming Forsythia, Pussy Willow, Witch Hazel and Flowering Quince; the later blooming Red Flowering Currant, Spiraea, Lilac, and Viburnum; and all of the fruit trees, both the production types and the ornamental varieties.

When to do it?

In our mild climate, starting too early will often fail – cutting your branches in January or February is more successful. Some of these plants require more cold weather to start their bud emergence than others, and some take longer to open flowers after you start forcing them.

Below are some pruning general guidelines, though this may vary a little from year to year – experiment until you find the dates and conditions that work best for you.

Early to Mid January:

  • Forsythia (1-2 weeks to bloom)
  • Witch Hazel (2-3 weeks to bloom)

Late January to early February

  • Flowering or production fruit trees, including cherries, plums, peaches, apples, crabapples, pears (3-4 weeks to bloom)
  • Pussy Willows (1-2 weeks to bloom)
  • Flowering Quince (3-4 weeks to bloom)
  • Redbud (2-3 weeks to bloom)
  • Spiraea (3-4 weeks to bloom)

Mid to late February

  • Magnolia (3-4 weeks to bloom)
  • Lilac (3-4 weeks to bloom)

How to do it?

Pick some reasonably pleasant weather in January or February to cut branches, but make sure the air temperature is above freezing. Take moderate sized branches 1-2 feet long; be selective as you don’t want your ‘preview’ to detract from the main show a few weeks later.

Learn to recognize the difference between leaf buds (usually smaller, tighter, and pointed) and flower buds (often larger, and at least slightly more rounded) so you have enough flower to enjoy.

Pruning your fruit trees? Save a few well budded branches for forcing instead of composting them.

Lilac Flower Bud
Forsythia Flower Bud
Cutting flowering quince branch
Cut Point on Flowering Quince
Forsythia cutting point
Cut Point on Forsythia

When you bring your cut branches inside, fill a bucket or sink with warm to very warm water. Re-cut the branches under the water, making a nice slanted cut. A little bruising around the cut or adding a short vertical split to it will help them absorb water faster.

Branches in Bucket of Water
Slanted Cut at Base of Branch
Short Vertical Split Cut at End of Branch

Arrange the branches in flower vases or water glasses with fresh water; you will need to change the water every few days, or use floral preservative. Place arrangement in a location with moderate to bright light but no direct sun, in a moderate temperature room (around 65 degrees F). If you have low humidity (wood heat for example) you may need to mist them occasionally.

First Day Arrangement
Arrangement After 10 Days
Arrangement After 17 Days

Be aware that just like outside, the flowering period on forced branches is only a week or two. Start several different types with various development times, or cut and start a few every week to extend this time. You can also cut and keep some longer branches out in the cold, continuing to harvest from them for ongoing forcing.

Flowering Quince Flower Opening on 17th Day

Blog Categories

Beekeeping
Events
Garden Center
Gardening Guides
Houseplants
Landscaping

Connect With Us

541-929-3524 

info@shonnards.com

6600 SW Philomath Blvd. Corvallis, OR 97333

MON – SAT 9am – 5pm

SUN 10am – 5pm