japanese maple pruning question

10 years ago

Hello,

I see these maples (Emperor1) with beatufl shape in a nursery and paid special attention to their branch. I don't know how they pruned it that it grows into such shapes. Anybody can share your experience on this?

From the picture, do you think it can be pruned and trained to this kind of branch layout? or we always have to grafting to get this kind of shape?

Thanks

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Comments (3)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
10 years ago
I've been thinking how best to answer this question ever since you posted........it is not exactly straight forward :-)

First, all named cultivars of Japanese maples are grafted......or almost always. The shoots of the desired cultivar are taken from the parent tree as cuttings and then grafted on to a seedling species JM. For upright trees (like Bloodgood), the grafts are typically about 6-8 above the root flare but can be higher. Usually not lower - low grafts are typically reserved for the weeping forms like most dissectums. Grafting is done while everything is very tiny - really just seedlings.

Part of the appeal of Japanese maples is their often very sculptural natural growth habit. This can sometimes be enhanced by pruning but is seldom created by pruning. A great deal of this sculptural quality is determined with the selection of the tree at a young age, looking for attributes like low branching or interesting bends. And then you make the most of those going forward both through training and very selective pruning.
blue3too
Original Author
10 years ago
thanks a lot for the explanation.

I had been very curious about these JM. Smaller JMs for sale in the nursery or homedepot never had that kind of great shape. I tried to imagine how these smaller JMs could be pruned/trained to grow into the great shapes shown in the big boxes.

From your explanation, seems that I cannot never expect those smaller JMs grow into those beauties in the big boxes.

where can I buy these grafted JM with good potential to get the shape shown in my picture?

I also see some articles about propagation by cuttings. is that true that they won't get good shape easily without grafting?

thanks again.
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Your tree should have it's main late rial root just below the ground surface. It should not be mounded up as they have done. Only a couple inches of mulch is needed. Your soil should not be amended. As the roots grow out they will do best conforming to you natural soil providing it is not all clay. Fertilize only lightly in the spring. You might use a little "Superthirve" to reduce any shock. Trim out your top branches but leave the lower for now. This will allow the upper and inside bare spots to get more sun and fill in over time. May not look the best for a little while but your best plan of action. If you decide to remove any lower branches, any major trimming should be done when the tree is dormant, early spring or fall. Do not trim in the heat of the summer! There is still time to form your tree. Just look at it as a big Bonsai and look long, hard and from all directions about what branches you wish to remove before cutting. Seal all cuts over 1/2 inch to reduce bleeding and protect from disease. Good luck, Grancru
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In the top picture there is a narrow 'V' where the two main branches diverge. Narrow crotches like this split easier than branches that go out at a wider angle. Snow and ice usually do it as the branches get larger. Kids and dogs are also culprits, as is mishandling. If you look closely this has already happened at the very top of the maple. Choose a maple with a good structure that will hold a good canopy in the future. The lower left limb on my maple has no future as it will eventually be superceded by the branches above it. It does not contribute to supporting the canopy. It has subsequently been removed. I should have spotted it earlier.
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That would be 'Oshio-beni' and it is a small shrub-like tree with a rounded canopy and a very low branching habit. Removing the lower branches to create a more "tree-like" appearance would NOT enhance the appearance of this particular maple cultivar, IMO. Exposure to the late freeze a large part of this country experienced around Easter could have had a pretty detrimental affect on this tree.......I'm not surprised the nursery was offering it at a bargain price. That plus its age and very mature size makes it a risky candidate for a 100% successful transplanting. I hope you got some sort of guarantee, as $1000 is a lot of cash to layout for what may best be a 50-50 proposition. If the so-called 'dead' twigs or stems are a pale or silvery gray, then they are indeed most likely dead. This can be confirmed by bending the twigs - if they snap cleanly and with a dry, tannish interior, they are dead wood. Also, viable twigs and stems will have distinct buds on them. Rubbing off a couple of buds will expose the interior, which should be succulent rather than dry and brown. All dead wood can/should be removed and there is really no restriction as to when this can be done. Other pruning (which I don't recommend for this cultivar) should wait until December or January when the tree is fully dormant but before the sap starts moving. My final suggestion is if you have never pruned a tree before, a Japanese maple of this age, size and potential value is not a place to start :-) Hire a professional or take some classes, preferrably those that emphasize Japanese maples, and from a very well-qualified instructor. As a 20 year nurseryperson and landscape professional, I've seen more trees and shrubs mangled - often beyond redemption - by well-intentioned but uninformed homeowners who do not understand how, when and why to prune. Know what you are doing before you start or leave it to the professionals.
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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
10 years ago
Small trees often grow into larger trees with interesting sculptural growth habits. It's just a matter of doing a lot of looking for the right tree with the proper potential. And knowning how to do some careful training and judicious pruning. Afterall, that is how bonsai is done and tiny little JM's that are bonsai'd typically display this very sculptural quality you are looking for.

IOW, achieving that type of form takes time - you will not find it in the smaller trees simply because they haven't been around long enough to develop that growth habit. Better retail nurseries that specialize in JM's would be a good place to start the hunt and should have personnel that can help you choose for this effect. Forget places like HD and the other box stores - they buy cheap and in huge quantities and are not looking for special or unique features.

JM's are difficult to propagate from cuttings. That's why all the quality, named treees you will find have been grafted.

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japanese maple pruning question

Comments (3)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

blue3too
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japanese maple pruning question

Comments (3)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

blue3tooOriginal Author

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blue3too
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