On Fri, 3 Jun 2005 09:30:25 +0100, "Willobie"
wrote:

I have a 4-year old erica lusitanica with a main stem which is now reaching
4ft tall. I would like to reduce the height by about 50%. but my book says
I shouldn't cut into the old wood... There is plenty of new growth at the
bottom and I thought that cutting back the main stem might improve the shape
(make it more bushy). Can I do this and, if so, when is the best time -
it's just finished flowering...

Willobie

Provided there's plenty of new growth from the base as you say, it
should be OK. Some tree heaths can be pruned back quite hard and will
shoot from old wood, but I don't know for certain about E. lusitanica.
Prune after flowering, so now would be OK. It's naturally
upright-growing, so whether you can make it bushy, I'm not sure.

Incidentally, it has become naturalised in places along the railway
embankment in east Cornwall, growing on almost pure shale, and grows
to about 6 feet. Seeds itself vigorously IME!


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net