Japanese Maple Tree Care

Japanese Maple

Japanese maple tree care – location

TheJapanese maple tree is hardy from zone 5 to 8. In the wild, this maple species grows as an understorey plant in Asian woodlands and it is therefore adapted to a life in the shade. Protecting your Japanese maple tree from too much direct, strong sunlight is therefore an essential part of proper Japanese maple tree care. Partially shaded locations are recommended.

The leaves of the Japanese maple tree can become scorched during the summer, especially if you live in zone 7 or 8. Protecting the tree from the light will become even more important during heat spells with strong sun. Strong winds will increase the risk of scorching. Keeping the tree well watered is naturally an imperative part of proper Japanese maple tree care during such conditions. Leave the water hose at the base of the tree and let water trickle down into the soil to ensure deep watering.

Japanese maple tree care – soil

A very important part of Japanese maple tree care is to plant your maple tree in suitable soil. By providing your Japanese maple with the right type of soil, you will save your self a lot of time and effort when it comes to the long time Japanese maple tree care. The Japanese maple tree will do best in moist soil that is well drained. Rich soil with plenty of nutrition is recommended. Mulching around the base of the tree each summer is also a good idea.

The recommended pH range for the soil is 3.7 to 6.5. The Japanese maple tree will often be able to adapt to different types of soil, including sandy soil, loamy soil and clay, but if you know that the soil is poorly drained you should either refrain from planting Japanese maple tree or plant the tree in a sloping location where at least a part of the water will be quickly transported away.

Japanese maple tree care – pruning

Pruning is not an essential part of good Japanese maple tree care, provided that your tree is healthy. You may of course still have to prune the tree to keep it away from buildings, increase the safety for pedestrians etcetera, but the tree itself will not require pruning. A young tree can also be “trained” to develop a leading shoot that will turn into the tree’s framework over time.

If you need to prune your Japanese maple tree, you should avoid doing so in spring since spring pruning will cause the tree to bleed copiously and lose a lot of sap. Late summer and early fall is the recommended pruning season.

Japanese maple tree care – verticillium

The Japanese maple tree is quite susceptible to Verticillium Wilt, a disease caused by a soil-borne fungus that enters the tree via the root system. The most sensitive maple species is the Norway maple, but Japanese maples, Silver maples, Red maples, Sugar maples and Sycamore maples are also known to frequently contract this disease. You can decrease the risk of Verticillium Wilt by providing your maple with proper Japanese maple tree care. This includes planting your maple in suitable soil, keeping it well watered, making sure that it receives sufficient amounts of nutrition and tending to any injuries as soon as possible.

japanese maple tree

Copyright 2006 japanesemapletree.info. Header picture of red maple trees in fall From http://www.landscaping.about.com , taken by David Beaulieu.
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