Abstract Multiple weekly or biweekly applications of 0, 100, 200 or 300 ppm cyclanilide (CYC), a bioregulator effective in stimulating branching of apple and cherry trees and select woody ornamental shrubs, were applied foliarly to eight species or cultivars of woody landscape shrubs, five of which showed increased branching in response to treatment. Shoot number increases were concentration and species dependent, and compared to untreated controls, branching at 60 days after first treatment (DAFT) with three weekly applications of 100 to 300 ppm CYC in 2005 increased from 1400 to 1900% in ‘Brandy's Temper’ sasanqua camellia, 114 to 175% in ‘Sky Pencil’ holly, 385 to 458% in ‘Foster’ holly, 166 to 335% in Eleanor Taber™ Indian hawthorn, and 1885 to 2230% in ‘Olivia’™ Indian hawthorn. In 2006, branching 60 DAFT with three biweekly applications of 100 to 300 ppm CYC increased 34 to 73% in ‘Foster’ holly, 268 to 413% in Eleanor Taber™ Indian hawthorn, and 2540 to 4440% in Olivia™ Indian hawthorn. Plant size often decreased with increasing CYC concentration, but not in all species or cultivars. Injury to new foliage of ‘Brandy's Temper’ camellia and ‘Sky Pencil’ and ‘Foster’ holly occurred in 2005, and to new foliage of Eleanor Taber™ and Olivia™ Indian hawthorn in both 2005 and 2006, however symptoms were transient and no longer evident by 120 DAFT. Quality of treated responsive plants at 120 DAFT was usually higher than that of untreated plants, and CYC-induced treatment effects generally persisted until the end of the growing season.