When to plant and prune Rose (Floribunda / Cluster-flowered)
Rosa (Floribunda, cluster-flowered bush)
Floribundas are pruned less severely than hybrid teas - cutting them down to 10-15cm as if they were a hybrid tea loses the mass of flowering sideshoots that gives them their whole effect. Wait for late winter (mid-February in the south, March in colder areas) rather than pruning in autumn.
Planting, flowering and pruning by region
Pruning is driven by dormancy rather than frost, so it is not shifted by region — the same cut is right in Inverness and in Penzance. Planting windows do move.
| Where you are | Plant | In flower | Prune |
|---|---|---|---|
| South West Coast and Cornwall | late October to late December | mid June to early October | mid February to early March |
| South Coast and Channel | late October to late December | mid June to early October | mid February to early March |
| Greater London (Urban Heat Island) | late October to late December | mid June to early October | mid February to early March |
| South East and Home Counties | late October to late December | mid June to early October | mid February to early March |
| East Anglia | late October to late December | mid June to early October | mid February to early March |
| Midlands and Lowland Wales | late October to late December | mid June to early October | mid February to early March |
| Wales and West Coast | late October to late December | mid June to early October | mid February to early March |
| Northern England | late October to late December | mid June to early October | mid February to early March |
| Scotland Lowlands and Central Belt | late October to late December | mid June to early October | mid February to early March |
| Scotland Highlands and Islands | late October to late December | mid June to early October | mid February to early March |
| Northern Ireland | late October to late December | mid June to early October | mid February to early March |
| Channel Islands and Isle of Man | late October to late December | mid June to early October | mid February to early March |
How to prune it
RHS pruning group 16 (floribunda): cut the strongest shoots back to within 25-30cm of soil level and weaker shoots harder, leaving an open framework.
Severity: moderate.
Bare-root season
Bare-root stock is available and best planted late October to late March. It is cheaper than container-grown and establishes faster.
Feeding
Feed in March/April as growth resumes and again in mid-summer after the first flush; roses in containers need feeding fortnightly from mid-spring to late summer.
At a glance
- Type
- Rose
- Hardiness
- H6
- Eventual height
- 1.0 m
- Eventual spread
- 0.7 m
- Years to maturity
- 3
- Spacing
- 50 cm
- Sun
- Full sun
- Soil
- Rich, moist but well-drained soil
- Evergreen
- No
- Fragrance
- Scented
- Pollinator value
- 3 out of 5
- Grows in a container
- Yes, 40 litres or more
- Difficulty
- Easy
Growing notes
Flowers in large clusters over a long season, so better than hybrid teas for bedding, mixed borders and low informal hedging. Deadhead whole trusses back to a strong bud. Scent varies a lot by cultivar - buy in flower if fragrance matters.
What usually goes wrong
- black spot
- aphids
- powdery mildew
- rose replant disease
Related guides
Cross-checked against RHS guidance.