First Aid for Japanese Maples

Snow Damage

If you live in snow country, especially in areas where the snow is wet and heavy, removing narrow crotches before damage occurs may be a good idea. This will mean that you will lose the natural Multi-trunked look of the Japanese maple, but will save you from the heartbreak of seeing a major portion of your tree lost to snow, as happened with this beautiful Hogyoku just outside my front door. A compromise may be to remove narrow crotches that occur above 4 or 5 feet, leaving the lower major branches. They can be braced during heavy snow, or left to find their own way, which results in a wider, more cascading look.