I don't do much pruning on my many Japanese Maples as I like to see their natural forms, although I do trim the trunk and wayward branches to maintain a well shaped small tree with a distinct canopy. I've had this Geisha for 2 or 3 years now, waiting to see more branching. It was between 2 and 3 feet tall when I got it and now is about 5 feet tall and shows no inclination to grow any way but up...as you can see, it has far surpassed the 3 foot stake. Should I chop it off and hope it branches better? Of the 3 Geishas I had this one had the best spring color (neon pink!) but the worst habit. I say had because the other 2 succumbed to root rot so this is the sole survivor. Thanx for any help, Ginger
I agree with Whis4ey - looks cramped in that little pot. Since its just a single stem, you don't have a lot of options in pruning, other than whacking off the top. I would cut it back to a side shoot that looked promising and hope for the best. And I would re-pot it in a much larger container with fresh soil. (I like Pro-mix Organic). Regards,
Looks like it would be better to just let it do it's thing - not prune. But if you want to change the form, cut off the last 2" to 3" of the main stem. You couldn't mess it up too much that way. But at first glance, my first impression is to let it grow taller in more soil, and lest the smaller limbs that are there, start to develop more.
I wouldn't prune out the top. I think, if it is potted into a larger pot, it will start to send out those side branches when it is ready to do so
