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How to Prune a Japanese Maple

This simple, four-step approach will leave you with a beautiful focal point in your landscape

Pruning Japanese Maples
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      Video by Danielle Sherry. Edited by Christine Alexander.

      Japanese maples are gorgeous trees that add an instant focal point to any garden. In order to maintain their health and to be sure they’re looking their best, pruning is necessary. The following steps will help you keep your upright Japanese maple looking top-notch, and ensure that it remains a treasured specimen tree in your yard for many years.

      Step 1: Remove dead or damaged branches

      Aside from being unsightly, dead and damaged branches can be perfect points for pests and diseases to infiltrate your tree and affect its overall health.

      Step 2: Address potential problems

      There are three parts to this step.

      Part 1: Remove crossing branches that ruin the visual structure of the tree and can cause damage to neighboring branches through unwanted rubbing.

      Part 2: Remove branches that have the potential to cross in another year or two. If the branch looks like it’s eventually going to interfere with another branch, cut it out.

      Part 3: Reduce the number of branches coming from one concentrated area of the tree. If one branch intersection has five or more smaller branches all clustered in one spot, reduce that number by at least half. If you leave these clusters of branches in place, their weight can eventually cause the tree to split.

      Step 3: Thin out the interior of the tree

      Reduce the number of branches in the interior of the tree for better airflow. Japanese maples can be susceptible to fungal disease, and this action will help avoid those problems.

      Step 4: Prune for aesthetics

      This step has two parts.

      Part 1: Prune for a purpose. This means removing branches for a specific purpose that makes your life better as a gardener. This includes cutting back branches that are in the way when mowing your lawn or even cutting away a branch so you can more easily hang a bird feeder from your tree.

      Part 2: Prune to accentuate certain features. This includes cutting away lower branches to expose the lovely trunk and bark of your Japanese maple.

      Removing dead or damaged branches and crossing branches from your Japanese maple should happen every year. Rejuvenating your tree with more drastic pruning (like thinning out the interior and pruning for aesthetics) will only need to be done every three to four years.

      For more information on pruning Japanese maples (including how to address weeping forms), read on here: Pruning Japanese Maples.

       

      Previous: How to Prune a Crabapple Tree Next: How to Prune Conifers
      View 7 comments

      Comments

      1. RealMe 06/06/2022

        Removing dead or damaged branches and crossing branches from your Japanese maple should happen every year like home foundation.

      2. sofiaandres060696 09/06/2022

        This means removing branches for a specific purpose that makes your life better as a gardener. Cape May New Jersey sunsetter awnings

      3. sofiaandres060696 09/14/2022

        This includes cutting back branches that are in the way when mowing your lawn or even cutting away a branch so you can more easily hang a bird feeder from your tree. drywall repair near me desoto texas

      4. kellyp77 12/13/2022

        Prune to remove dead branches mostly on the interior. Security mesh fencing

      5. JacksonBriggs 12/13/2022

        My grandma used to have Japanese maples. contact us

      6. FRESH 02/21/2024

        This has me wanting to organize my yard! Pruning sounds kinda like spring cleaning for your trees. Makes me think about how we can create a fresh, welcoming feel outdoors too 🤔

      7. danagardener 04/04/2024

        I am a beginner..good to know! :)

      Log in or create an account to post a comment.

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