Fall Cutback Guide for Zone 5 Perennials: What to Cut, What to Leave

General Rule: Cut Back After Foliage Dies

In Zone 5, most herbaceous perennials (peonies, hollyhock, black-eyed Susan, lavender, hardy hibiscus) should be cut to the ground once leaves brown and wither. This removes disease/pest habitat.

Exceptions: Don't Cut These in Fall

• Spring-blooming shrubs (lilac, forsythia, azalea, rhododendron) – Buds set on old wood; prune right after flowering.
• Evergreen perennials (heuchera, bergenia, hellebores) – Leave foliage for winter protection.
• Ornamental grasses – Leave for winter interest; cut in early spring.
• Subshrubs (lavender, Russian sage, caryopteris) – Light trim only; hard prune in spring.

Sanitation Matters

Remove all cut debris from beds. Compost healthy material; trash diseased leaves.

When in doubt: if it dies to the ground naturally, cut it. If it stays woody/evergreen, leave it.