Spring Pruning – Laceleaf Japanese Maple – Livonia, MI

Acer palmatum dissectum is a weeping variety of Japanese maple.  They are commonly referred to as “Laceleaf” Japanese maples.

While walking a property in Livonia, I noticed this Laceleaf in the front landscape.  The deadwood, which is usually white, caught my eye. Deadwood is much easier to spot while the tree is dormant.  During the growing season thick foliage hides the deadwood, making the ideal time to prune late winter or early spring.

I started off pruning by removing all deadwood, damaged or broken branches, and stubs left from bad pruning cuts.  Next, I removed lower branches that were laying on the ground.  I then identified branches that were growing into each other, decided which were less desirable and removed them.  The next step was to prune for shape or form, but before doing so I had to evaluate how much of the living crown I had already removed.  It is recommended to remove no more then 20% at one time, so I stopped and will need to return next year to prune for shape and form.

Below are some before and after pictures, click a thumbnail to view a slideshow.