Japanese Maple Care

TOPICS IN JAPANESE MAPLE TREES

How To Care For Japanese Maple Trees (acer palmatum)

Although beautiful and delicate looking, Japanese Maple trees surprisingly require very little care.

The only annual task that benefits the plant is a mulch around, but not touching, the stem. Use well-rotted compost and apply it in early Spring.

The key dangers faced by Japanese Maples are damage by late spring frosts and water-logging. Frosts can damage the leaves, especially those of Dissectum varieties but it is only rarely fatal. Simply snip off badly damaged areas of the leaves and the plant will recover in a month or so.

Water logging is most likely to damage the fine root system in winter. There is no cure, so ensure that the planting position is chosen well (see planting Japanese Maples in the navigation bar above).

How To Prune Japanese Maple Trees
Japanese Maple trees are fine without any pruning, they will form their natural shape with no need for your intervention.

They do appreciate a bit of help though when the central area becomes over-crowded. This can stop air circulating and make the trees more prone to fungal diseases. Every two or three years when the leaves have fallen, prune out any diseased or damaged wood. If the central part of the tree looks overcrowded, prune some of the stems and smaller branches, but maintain the overall shape of the tree.

Name: Sheila John
E-mail: Private
Date posted: October 09, 2011 - 01:02 pm
Message: My 20-year old acer palmatum seems to be dying. Half of it died last year and most of the rest has had brown crispy leaves since early August this year. Should I give it another chance or chop it down? And will it be safe to replace it with another acer or possibly a flowering cherry?

Name: Alison cross
E-mail: Alisonx1@sky.com
Date posted: October 06, 2011 - 06:30 am
Message: My acer has lost all it's leaves. I planted it in May, in a semi shaded area with compost and good soil and have watered it regularly. I planted another acer which is perfect and growing well. I can't understand it. Will it grow again.? Is there anything I can do?Please help, thanks.

Name: Mike Delaney
E-mail: fulwoodmike@aol.com
Date posted: September 29, 2011 - 03:32 pm
Message: Just moved into house which has red acer in garden. Leaves have brown tips and some top branches are dead. Geen leafing branches have appeared on trunk approx halfway up. Any suggestions

Name: rusty vaughn
E-mail: rvaughn42@yahoo.com
Date posted: September 23, 2011 - 05:58 pm
Message: i planted a japanese maple this summer and its been really hot and dry in Missisippi this year. It is an area that gets partial sun, planted in good soil, mulched, watered slowly and yet has lost most all of its leaves and concerned if its going to make it. any sggestions.

Name: Brad
E-mail: w.bradcreber@hotmail.com
Date posted: September 17, 2011 - 01:55 pm
Message: I have 2 trees that have done well within the garden flowers where they are both planted. The only concern is roots uplifting on both trees. What should I do to cover the roots and prevent water runoff.Just putting earth on or around roots doesn't work well.

Name: Angela Collins
E-mail: angelacollins2009@hotmail.com
Date posted: September 16, 2011 - 04:54 pm
Message: Hi I've only had my maple tree a few months its in a large pot what do I do through the winter to keep it from dying in the frost.

Name: William Thurman
E-mail:
Date posted: September 03, 2011 - 08:43 am
Message: I am naving branches on my tree to die. don't know what is going own

Name: Lyndabiggs@gmail.com
E-mail:
Date posted: August 27, 2011 - 09:30 am
Message: End Aug and workmen have cut two branches from my beautiful Acer tree. Will it be o k
Thank you

Name: Irene Ellida Horton
E-mail: irenehorton06@aol.com
Date posted: August 24, 2011 - 11:39 am
Message: We have an Acer tree which is about 20 feet high,its only about 2 foot from our house will it effect our foundations,its really lovely and healthy and would we be able to shorten it

Name: ITA
E-mail: iavery1949@yahoo.com
Date posted: August 21, 2011 - 10:18 am
Message: I have a japanese maple that some of the leaves turn brown on the ends. What should I do? Thanks.

Name: F Williams
E-mail: forwills@talktalk.net
Date posted: August 06, 2011 - 10:07 am
Message: Our beautiful Acer with red leaves looked dead after the harsh winter. With dead-looking bare branches throughout the Spring,and on into Summer, we had given up on it, until a few red leaves suddenly sprouted at the base. What do we do now, please?

Name: Denis Noble
E-mail: dennob1@hotmail. com
Date posted: July 23, 2011 - 01:38 pm
Message: Acer Palmatum Atropurpureum. Not growing as it should. Leaves permanently very curly & varigated Brown/Purple & pink

Name: Mary J
E-mail: msmall777@hotmail.com
Date posted: July 21, 2011 - 01:57 pm
Message: I have a japanese maple that has done great for the past 5 years. Now the leaves are turning brown. Could it be from the heat wave we are have the past 2 weeks in the midwest? What's the remedy?

Name: nicola
E-mail: Private
Date posted: July 21, 2011 - 11:26 am
Message: i would like too know what is the best month too prune an japanese acer when is is really overgrown

Name: joseph comis
E-mail: josephcomis@att.net
Date posted: July 15, 2011 - 06:43 pm
Message: i have two Red Japanese Maples but am not sure of the specific type. if i photograph them and attach them to an e-mail would you be able to give me advice as to how to care for them. both are red but appear brown not red. what do we do?

thanks

jhoe

Name: Vicki M
E-mail: Private
Date posted: July 12, 2011 - 02:14 pm
Message: Hi, I bought an Acer Palmatum Dissectum and have planted it in a patio pot, although roughly 15 healthy looking leaves have fallen off in a few days! Two leaves which are still attached have also shrivelled up in 2-3 days. I am watering regularly but am not sure what is happening to it! Please advise! Ta!

Name: john milner
E-mail: johntmilner@hotmail.com
Date posted: July 07, 2011 - 04:23 pm
Message: can you give me some help please, I have bought an Osakazuki and the lower leaves are green and seem ok however the top ones are brown and look burnt, the stems look healthy can you help?

Name: Anne Marie
E-mail: duckncoot2007@yahoo.co.uk
Date posted: July 06, 2011 - 06:27 am
Message: I have a small acer in a pot. It was wonderfully green in early spring but now the outer fronds are brown and look as if they are burnt. It was in a windy place so would that be the reason??? Please advise me.

Name: Jim
E-mail: Private
Date posted: July 04, 2011 - 03:43 pm
Message: We have a green wide leaf Acer bonsai. We just noticed some white spots on some of the leaves (not aphids). Is this a problem?

Name: Joan
E-mail: Private
Date posted: June 27, 2011 - 03:10 pm
Message: We have a Acer Palmatum "Pixie" we have it in a half sun/shaded area, and the edges of the leaves are turning brown, is this natural? or is there something I am not doing right.