I only trim back around 3 or 4 of the longest branches a year so that the perennials under it can get a little bit of sun. Mine's in half shade so it blooms somewhat sparsely (as you can see in the picture). It's great all year long, with dark color that holds all season and interesting bark in the winter. This cultivar is 'Summer Wine' which gets around 6 feet tall. Others can get even taller but the dwarf ones stay very small.
