Goatsbeard (*Aruncus dioicus*) is a real globetrotter, found naturally all across the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Because it’s so adaptable, it’s one of those “set it and forget it” plants—super low-maintenance and incredibly long-lived. However, if you want to keep it looking its best, a little routine pruning is definitely on the to-do list.
When to Grab the Shears
To keep your Goatsbeard happy, you’ll need to clear away the old growth before the new gardening season kicks off. The good news? This plant isn’t picky about timing. You can tackle this chore in the fall or wait until early spring; either way, the plant will handle it just fine. If you like a tidy, “tucked-in” look for your garden before the first snow, go ahead and cut it back in autumn. But if you hate looking at bare flower beds from your living room window all winter, feel free to leave it standing until next year.
How to Prune Like a Pro
Don’t worry about mastering any fancy techniques here. Goatsbeard is incredibly forgiving—even if you’re a bit heavy-handed with the shears, it’ll bounce back. You can pretty much cut the stalks right down to the ground, and it will still sprout fresh and green when the weather warms up.
The only time you need to be a bit more strategic is if you want to prevent the plant from self-seeding all over your yard. If that’s the case, you’ll want to snip off the spent flower plumes as soon as they start to fade in late spring or early summer. Since the plant is in its peak growing phase then, try to just clip the flower stalks themselves and leave the rest of the foliage intact.
Fresh Flowers for the Home
If you love bringing the outdoors in, you’re in luck! Goatsbeard holds up well to cutting before, during, or even after it blooms. Those feathery plumes make gorgeous additions to a vase, so don’t be afraid to harvest a few stems to brighten up your kitchen table.
To recap, here is the best way to handle your Goatsbeard pruning:
- Do a full cut-back in the fall or wait until the following spring.
- Deadhead the faded flowers if you want to stop the plant from spreading its seeds.
- Snip those beautiful plumes in late spring to use as cut flowers.