Can a Japanese Maple be successfully cut back to or near the ground? Would the time to do this be now? I want desperately to restore the original beauty of this tree that I believe to be about 20 years old. It has obviously had a hard life, as its branches (from its "multiple branched base”) appear very choppy and poorly shaped, giving the tree an unattractive winter silhouette. (It looked horrible all season as well, due to many dead branches and branch tips from the severe frosts). I was wondering if the tree were cut back as far as possible, if the tree would have new life and regain its delicate beauty. Thanks for any advice, C
if is one cultivar ,if you prune near the ground ,the leaves and form of tree not return "original";you see if the trunk have the graft and cut above the graft;my advice is prune a little for 2/3 years . Time of pruning is an old story in this forum i prefere in start spring for me is a better period for my zone (9)one general advice is :see near your garden Jm in good health and ask to propetary the care that use for Jm.. write again alex
Agree with Alex to go at it slowly. It may respond to some moderate top pruning by sending out stronger new growth on lower branches.
Good rule of thumb - never prune more than 1/3 the total top growth at once. Vizualize what you would ultimately like the tree to look like and devise a pruning plan, spreading the major cuts over a period of years - ending up with the elegant single trunk you desire. I know it means you have to be patient and that's never any fun, but at least - even if you make big mistakes - you know you are not going to lose that tree. :) Send us pictures. We wanna see.
