Q&A for How to Prune Japanese Maple Trees

You can root a Japanese maple but it is something that should be done only in soil.

It can be done anytime except spring when the tree is coming awake. But ideally, it is done during the dormant stages of late fall or midwinter.

I recommend you prune your Japanese maple in winter during the last frost of the season.

You remove branches that are too close or rubbing together. As the tree continues to grow, you can remove branches that are the lowest.

Japanese maples can stand a lot of pruning, so don’t be afraid to cut your tree back pretty severely. Just take care not to remove more than half of the tree’s total mass. Cut away any dead branches and any limbs that have gotten too long or disrupt the overall appearance of the tree.

Wait until your weeping maple has had a few years to grow. In the winter, when the tree is dormant, trim off any dead inner branches. Inner branches tend to die off because they are covered by the outer branches, meaning they don’t get enough sunlight. Cut off any live branches that are growing toward the center of the tree, since these are unlikely to survive. Remove some of the outer branches if you don’t want the canopy to be as wide. Cut away any outer branches that cross over each other, since these will block light to the center of the tree and make it harder to see the trunk. The ultimate goal is to make the tree look like an open umbrella.

Yes, you can. To prevent your tree from getting too big, prune it every 2 years or so to keep it in the desired size range. You can also get a bonsai or dwarf maple variety if you want a truly miniature tree.

Absolutely. If a branch is hanging too low (on the ground), prune it back to an acceptable location.

Yes. There are many dwarf varieties of Japanese maple trees that are ideal for planting in a container. You can go to your local gardening store to purchase one, and the associates should be able to help you pick out the best tree for your pot size.

No. In 30 years of working with landscaping, I have never seen any foundation damage, lifting of sidewalks or any aggressive root behavior from Japanese maples.

Assuming they are not seedlings, just move them to a less sunny position and cut back any shriveled shoots. Don't allow them to get dry again. You should eventually see some new buds appear. These will produce new leaves, either this year, if there is time left, or next spring.

Don't prune your Japanese maples if they are too young. Wait until your maple is at least two to three years old.

It will take years for the branch to regrow if it does at all. You may prune the rest of the tree to improve its appearance, but you cannot get the branch back.

You should not bring it inside. Doing so could put it into shock and weaken its overall health. The tree will be perfectly happy outside in the pot; just make sure it gets a little water now and then if it doesn't rain for awhile.

As long as the variant leaves make up no more than 30% of the total foliage, removing them shouldn't hurt the tree.

If the tree you have selected is going to grow too large, pick a smaller tree. Heading it back every year will just make a poorly-shaped tree.

No. Spring is when the trees produce sap, so pruning it could damage the tree. Late summer and winter are good times for pruning though.

Acer is the scientific genus name of the maple group, so all maples are Acers. However, not all Acers will be Japanese maples.

Is it the same plant growing? If so, then of course it can be shaped into a tree. You will just have to give it plenty of time to grow first.

I wouldn't. It's the wrong tool for the job. You can get away with some light leaf removal, but electric hedge shears will cause gashes and sloppy, likely unhealable cuts which could trigger die back.

Not necessarily. It might be getting too much sun where you've planted it. If you have a sprinkler system, it's also possible that you're wetting the foliage unintentionally.

Try spraying with neem oil at 5 cc per liter; don't forget to give the trunk and the branches a good dose also. It has worked very well in my own garden and has even kept my apples from getting infested with worms.

Yes, always prune dead branches. Dead branches slow down the growth and are bad for the health of a Japanese maple.

Yes, they do. They are a deciduous type, so leaves will fall off during dormancy.

Japanese maples don’t actually need to be fertilized. They especially do not like any nitrogen-based treatments. As long as it was planted in good soil and you keep it watered (but don’t drown it), it will be fine.

Japanese Maples should not be trimmed until they are two to three years old. So, if your dog chewed it down to nothing and you were lucky enough for it to regrow, treat it as an infant tree and wait two to three years before you do any pruning.

This usually happens in drought. Water it periodically and it should get back to normal.

It will kill the tree. The only way to start fresh would be to remove the old tree and put a new one in its place.

Not only damage it, it could give it a disease. You should always use clean and sharp tools when working in your garden.