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Deadhead to a lateral fl ower, bud, or leaf
The majority of perennials require deadheading to a lateral flower, bud, or leaf.
Plants of this type include popular perennials like Shasta daisies, yarrow, salvia,
and veronica (see Perennials by Maintenance Needs, list 17). After all fl owering is
fi nished, many of these perennials also require further cutting down to basal
foliage (see Perennials by Maintenance Needs, list 27). To deadhead, prune off
the dead flower stem to a new lateral flower or, if visible, to a lateral bud; if
neither are apparent, cut the old flower off at the first lateral leaf. Many perenni-
als can also be deadheaded by shearing, thus eliminating the tedious task of
deadheading each individual old flower above a lateral leaf.
(left) Deadheading for
perennials with foliage on the
flower stem, here showing
Heliopsis helianthoides.(right) Deadheading for
perennials with new buds
adjacent to the old flowers,
here showing Campanula
persicifolia.Deadheading for perennials
with multibranched flowering
stems, here showing Scabiosa
columbaria ‘Butterfly Blue’.deadheadbud