Find Your Ask the Expert: How to prune or trim dead leaves and flowers?
Hi, I’m not sure what to do when a leaf or a flower dies on your houseplant? do you pluck it off, or are you meant to cut? where abouts would you cut it so you don’t accidentally stop things growing there ever again? Will the part you cut grow leaves or flower again?
right now, i have a peace lily with a few brown leaves and flowers which have bent right over. Haylee
Reply:
If a leaf is dead you need to remove it, by cutting it off or simply plucking it off the plant. The key is not to tear into the healthy flesh of the plant. I usually cut the leaves off as close to the stem as I can. I find cutting to be the easy way to remove leaves without fear of damaging the plant. As for flower removal, it depends on the plant. Most blooms on houseplants have bloom stalks. I usually follow the bloom stalk to the bottom of the plant or at least to the stem and cut it off. Some plants like geraniums have a bloom stalk but I don’t cut them. Instead I follow the stalk until I feel a little bump, then I snap the stalk off at the bump. If you are unsure of where to cut the flowers, send me a picture or tell me which type of plant it is and I will tell you where to make the cut. For example, you need to follow the peace lily bloom stalk to the base of the plant and cut it off.
