any recommendation on how to prune or care for this tree? - Ask Extension
Hello I'm unsure if this is a Japanese maple or something else. A neighbor feels that it's a weeping variety and that there should be more gap betwee...
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any recommendation on how to prune or care for this tree? #867408
Asked May 07, 2024, 11:52 AM EDT
Hello
I'm unsure if this is a Japanese maple or something else. A neighbor feels that it's a weeping variety and that there should be more gap between the leaves, etc. I'm new to gardening so I'm unsure if there's a particular time to trim/prune the leaves/branches so any advice would be appreciated. Please notethat the second pic is from today while the others are from last summer.
Thank you!
-jay
Montgomery County Maryland
Expert Response
This is a Japanese Maple, but as there are hundreds of cultivars on the market, many of which look alike, we can't determine which one this is without a cultivar name. While many red-leaved forms are weeping, this does not appear to be one of that group, based on its leaf shape and current branching structure. (Even if its current shape was influenced by pruning, which it clearly was, we can still tell that it does not resemble the "truly" weeping cultivars.)
We recommend pruning these trees as little as possible, not only because they don't require it for their health, but because it will stress the tree less and allow it to grow into its natural form, which is one of the main reasons Japanese Maples are so popular. Heavy, regular pruning will erase the characteristic branching shapes these trees develop with old age, so they will lose some of that unique appeal.
This specimen is probably one of the dwarf, shrubby varieties that provides the aesthetic of a miniaturized tree. You can thin out crowded branches to open-up the canopy a bit if you wish (and this can improve airflow through the foliage, reducing the risk of certain leaf diseases), but the best timing for that is midwinter or so, so you can see what you're pruning. Trimming around June-July is also possible if needed to adjust a plant's shape or make minor adjustments to its size, but otherwise you don't need to trim. Dwarf maple cultivars will tend to grow in their neighborhood of about 4 to 6 inches a year, and while no plant ever truly stops growing, as they age, they will grow at a slower pace.
If you put mulch under the tree to help suppress weeds and to moderate soil moisture and temperature, be sure to not cover-up the bark on the trunk base; use only about 2-3 inches in depth of mulch and keep the trunk bark itself exposed for good airflow.
Miri
We recommend pruning these trees as little as possible, not only because they don't require it for their health, but because it will stress the tree less and allow it to grow into its natural form, which is one of the main reasons Japanese Maples are so popular. Heavy, regular pruning will erase the characteristic branching shapes these trees develop with old age, so they will lose some of that unique appeal.
This specimen is probably one of the dwarf, shrubby varieties that provides the aesthetic of a miniaturized tree. You can thin out crowded branches to open-up the canopy a bit if you wish (and this can improve airflow through the foliage, reducing the risk of certain leaf diseases), but the best timing for that is midwinter or so, so you can see what you're pruning. Trimming around June-July is also possible if needed to adjust a plant's shape or make minor adjustments to its size, but otherwise you don't need to trim. Dwarf maple cultivars will tend to grow in their neighborhood of about 4 to 6 inches a year, and while no plant ever truly stops growing, as they age, they will grow at a slower pace.
If you put mulch under the tree to help suppress weeds and to moderate soil moisture and temperature, be sure to not cover-up the bark on the trunk base; use only about 2-3 inches in depth of mulch and keep the trunk bark itself exposed for good airflow.
Miri
Miri,
I appreciate your input here. The area is mulched (prior owner) so i appreciate your note about the trunk bark. I am afraid that itmay have been mulched a bit more than needed but I'll try to see if i can clean some up. I plan to leave any pruning to winter. Thank you!!
You're welcome!
