I have a very large, mature Portugal laurel hedge. A tree service is coming out next week to see about pruning it. It is February and I heard that Anna’s hummingbirds are beginning to build nests in our area. I have a hummingbird feeder near the hedge. So, my first question, is now an OK time to have the hedge trimmed for the health of the plant? Second, am I risking disturbing nests at this time? In addition, if the neighbors cut back a significant amount of hedge on their side of the fence last year, am I safe to cut some of the height now, or do I need to allow more time for the shrub to recover?
According to the American Horticultural Society’s Pruning & Training (ed. Christopher Brickell, DK Publishing, 2011), the ideal time to prune Prunus lusitanica (Portugal laurel) is late spring or early summer. However, it can produce new growth easily from old wood, so if a plant or a hedge requires renovation, it shouldn’t pose a problem. It’s always best to avoid pruning on very hot days. The Royal Horticultural Society website has general guidelines for hedge pruning:
“Evergreen hedges
Formative pruning: In the spring after planting and for the first two years after planting
Maintenance pruning: Each summer”
If you are concerned about disturbing the Anna’s hummingbirds, it makes sense in any case to wait until late spring or early summer. See this information on Anna’s hummingbirds from Washington NatureMapping Program:
“Nesting: As is the case with other hummingbird species, male and female Anna’s Hummingbirds associate only long enough to mate. The female is responsible for construction of the nest and care of the young. The breeding season begins in December and usually lasts until May or June. Females will lay a clutch of only two white eggs and will produce only one brood per season. The hummingbird eggs are roughly the size and shape of a small jellybean. The hatchlings will remain in the nest for three weeks.”
Portugal laurel is generally considered pretty tough, but if you are concerned about pruning too much at one time, you might want to wait until it is in the height of active growth. To sum up, it seems best for both the hummingbirds and the hedge to wait a while.