Pruning Japanese Maples

Making the right cut

When reducing the size of a maple, cut back to a smaller branch that is heading in the right direction. This will give you a new leader and maintain the beauty of the line. In this case, the lower branch was coarse and had a “dog-legged” curve that was unattractive, so that the beauty of the line will be enhanced by its removal. I am holding the branch selected to be the new leader.